All in the Game
by The Bloody Countess
Summary: ATTENTION: This is undergoing a rewrite. Look for the fic with the not so original title but with a new storyline and character development. :
1. Prologue: Anzaisensei's Announcement

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
PROLOGUE - Anzai-sensei's Announcement  
  
  
  
Coach Anzai gave a look-over at his boys. They were a strong bunch, he knew. There was Takenori Akagi, the ever-positive team captain; Kaede Rukawa, mysterious yet an incredible player; Ryota Miyagi with his uncanny ability to steal and make excellent plays; Hisashi Mistui, the best outside shooter, always confident of his shooting. Then, Hanamichi Sakuragi, the show-off, always bringing life to the team with his antics and determination that was unlike the others.   
  
Indeed, team Shohoku was a team of great players, and he knew that he would be leaving them in capable hands. He signalled for them to halt their practice and gather around to listen to what he was about to tell them. They immediately complied, showing the greatest amount of respect for their mentor who never raised his voice at any of them.  
  
"Boys, I have an announcement to make," he said, somehow managing to quiet down Hanamichi, who was noisy again, as usual. The young men looked up expectantly, their gazes never leaving his for a moment. He decided they would be able to understand why...  
  
"I have decided to leave you in the hands of my granddaughter, while I go with my wife to visit an old friend of mine in Hawaii. My grandchild will be flying here tonight from America and she will arrive tomorrow. She has agreed to be the coach for our upcoming games."  
  
Hanamichi was the first one to react. "NANI?!?!" he cried out, "you're leaving on vacation, old man?!"   
  
Anzai chuckled. "No, Sakuragi-kun. My old teammate and I have been communicating for the past ten years and he has been wanting me to visit him. I just had to wait for the proper time to go to Hawaii. It just so happens that my granddaughter is on school break and at the same time, scouting for other schools to enrol in, if ever she wants to transfer," he explained.  
  
"So, you thought that since your granddaughter is on vacation and wants to continue her education in Japan, she would coach us and give you a chance to go to Hawaii to visit your old friend," Mitsui concluded, nodding wisely.  
  
Akagi then decided to ask the question that was, no doubt, niggling the other players' minds. "But sensei, what about our games? Again, we'll be up against Ryonan and Kainan and I KNOW they have gotten better since last."  
  
Everyone nodded and Miyagi spoke up. "Coach, I don't know if it's wise to leave us in the hands of someone we don't even know. Why can't Ayako be Coach? Or Kogure?"  
  
Hanamichi saw this as an opportunity to tease his teammate. "Ha! I have a good guess at why you want Ayako to be Coach! So you can sneak up and smooch her, Miyagi! I know you have these feelings for Ayako and-"  
  
Miyagi jammed his fist into Hanamichi's mouth, blushing five deep shades of red. "STUFF IT, SAKURAGI! OR I'LL TWIST YOU INTO A PRETZEL!"   
  
The two were about to engage in a fistfight, when Ayako stepped up between them both. "Cool it, BOTH of you! Before I decide to do the pretzel-twisting!"   
  
Both calmed down and she shook her head. "As much as the suggestion is flattering, Miyagi-kun, I would rather stay as Manager. Keeping records is my specialty, and I'm not that good at making plays. Let's give Coach's granddaughter a chance."  
  
"If it's not too rude sensei, I would like to know if your granddaughter is as good as you say she is," Kogure requested.  
  
"Well, she has won inter-state championships and coached her team when they went on to the Nationals. They made it as far as the Junior Goodwill Games and clinched the gold medal," Anzai replied, inwardly proud of his grandchild's achievements.  
  
Kogure nodded. "All right, sensei...we will treat her with the same amount of respect we have for you. Right team?"  
  
"Right," they replied, deadpan, not really seeing the point in all of this.   
  
The old man smiled. "Then it's settled. I am leaving tonight for Hawaii. My grandchild will be meeting you tomorrow for practice. I trust you will welcome her. Dismissed."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Akagi, Kogure, and Mitsui walked home, stopping by at their favorite fastfood store to have a snack. Over burgers and fries, they started talking about what Anzai had announced.   
  
"I don't know, do you think the Coach made the right decision? He never even told us that he had a granddaughter," Mitsui complained, downing his milk shake in one gulp.  
  
"Sensei trusts her. She must be THAT good, as he said earlier," Kogure concluded.  
  
Akagi shook his head. "Coach must feel that way because she's his family. I am a little doubtful of her so-called achievements," he calmly retorted, consuming the last of his fries.   
  
"Then I guess we'll just find out tomorrow. See you!" With that, Kogure stood up, and bid them goodnight.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Hanamichi, Rukawa, and Miyagi, however, were not taking it too well. Hanamichi ranted and raved, angry that Anzai would leave without enough explanation. Rukawa remained quiet, mulling over his thoughts. Miyagi tried to calm Hanamichi, dodging his flailing arms.  
  
"It's not fair~!" Hanamichi cried, thrashing about, "the old man's nuts! Leaving us to a person we don't even know! Arrrgggghhh! No one gets the best of Tensai Sakuragi! Especially not some female gaijin!"   
  
Miyagi struggled to keep his voice neutral and grabbed Hanamichi's wrists, holding them behind his back. "Cool it, will you!?! You'll send us to a reformatory if you keep this up!" he hissed.  
  
Sensing that there was no point in trying to calm down the redhead, Rukawa stood up, incensing Hanamichi with the same one-word comment.  
  
".....Do'aho."  
  
"NANI!? Rukawa, you insensitive clod! I swear I'll-"  
  
"Shut up! I swear, Ayako will give you a severe tongue-lashing tomorrow, Sakuragi. So put a sock in it!"   
  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	2. Chapter One: An Expected Visitor

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ONE - An Expected Visitor  
  
  
  
The next day, team Shohoku gathered in the gym to await Anzai's granddaughter. Ayako came in with a note from the office, saying that the new coach would be a little late as she had just arrived and had to have her luggage brought to her house before heading over to the gym.  
  
"She says to start warming up and practice free throws, dribbling, blocking and alley-oops while waiting," Ayako finished.   
  
The team stood there for a moment, speechless. The hidden vein in Ayako's temple emerged and started violently twitching. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR, IDIOTS?!? START PRACTISING!" she barked, nearly shattering the windows.   
  
They snapped out of their reverie and began warming up just as they had been instructed. Even Akagi looked distracted.   
  
Ayako sighed. 'Oh, boy! That woman is gonna be in up to her neck with these boys...at least now I can share my woes with her.'  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Just as they were about to start practice, the sliding door opened, catching their attention. All heads turned to the door and in walked a girl who looked as young as the freshmen. They also noticed how she towered over Ayako, almost as tall as Rukawa.   
  
Collective jaw-dropping followed. The girl had waist-length red hair, tied back in a neat ponytail. She was dressed in jeans, a white tanktop and she had a black jacket tied around her waist. Her build was slim, not muscular, and she walked like a model, holding her head high.   
  
Her gait was purposeful, confident and never faltering. One look from her could freeze anyone in his tracks. She was beautiful, not only superficially, but something about the way she surveyed the gym told everyone that there was also a hidden intelligence in her.  
  
Miyagi cringed inwardly, 'Damn, she resembles Sakuragi. Just what we need, another hot-blooded redhead!'  
  
But the girl was anything but hot-blooded. Walking towards them, she broke into a smile. "Are you team Shohoku?" At their nodding, she continued, "I'm Maléna, Coach Anzai's granddaughter." She extended her hand to Akagi, who accepted it.   
  
"You must be Captain Takenori Akagi. Grandfather has told me about all of you. I hope you will excuse me for not coming on time," she apologized, firmly shaking Akagi's hand.   
  
Breaking into a reassuring grin, Akagi replied, "Don't bother. Sensei warned me that you might be suffering from jet lag, so I have to remind you to take it easy for awhile. Let me introduce you to the rest of the team."  
  
He stepped back a little and gestured to the team members, who took turns shaking the girl's hand. "This is Kogure, our Vice Captain..."  
  
Kogure smiled at the redhead and again asked her politely, "Miss, if you will excuse my rudeness, how old are you?"  
  
"Kogure, don't ask such things," Ayako scolded, getting redfaced with embarrassment.   
  
Maléna held up her hand and smiled, flashing perfect white teeth. "It's okay, Ayako-san. I'm sure the rest want to know exactly how old I am. I am sure they were expecting me to be a little bit older. Perhaps, a freshman in college."  
  
Rukawa looked up, fixing his gaze on the new girl. 'She doesn't seem professional enough', he thought. "Then again, looks can be deceiving," a new voice inside told him...  
  
"Actually, I'm 16 years old. I've been into sports for as long as I can remember, as well as other hobbies I would rather NOT mention," the girl replied, her tone steady.   
  
"NANI?!" Hanamichi cried out, "why you're only as old as Rukawa and I!"  
  
Maléna laughed, surprising Rukawa. "Very good! And you're a redhead, too! I keep getting teased about my hair and people yell 'FIRE!' whenever I pass the halls in school."  
  
Miyagi, and the rest laughed along with her joke, except for Rukawa and Hanamichi, who had a very bewildered look on his face. Akagi then introduced Mitsui, who smiled a little and accepted her outstretched hand, albeit begrudgingly.   
  
She took no notice and softly said, "I look forward to working with you, Mitsui. Grandfather says you are very good." Mitsui drew back, a little surprised.  
  
Miyagi came up and reluctantly shook her hand, knowing that a woman coach would definitely be a first for their team, especially one who was younger than most of them. She smiled back, nearly tripping him up. "Point guard, am I right? I look forward to seeing you play, Miyagi-san."  
  
"Maléna-san..."  
  
"Call me Maléna...No honorifics please, my name is just fine. Changing it wouldn't do me any good, you know."  
  
"Then call me Miyagi..."  
  
Hanamichi came up, and spoke up, not bothering to hide his feelings. "I don't think the old man was wise to leave us in your care. I'm not even sure if you're as good as he says you are."  
  
BAM!   
  
"Eeyowch! That hurt, Gori!" Sakuragi complained, reaching up to touch the growing lump on his head, where Akagi's fist had made contact.  
  
"Don't you dare say such things, baka!"  
  
"Well, I still don't believe she's good enough to be handling us!"  
  
A challenging glint lit up in Maléna's eyes. "You and I can play one-on-one, Sakuragi. Then we'll find out," she replied calmly, shaking his hand. Hanamichi walked stubbornly away, muttering peevishly.  
  
Rukawa was the last to be introduced, and she stepped up closer, extending her hand. "Kaede Rukawa; Small Forward, correct?"  
  
For a long moment, he stood there holding her gaze, thinking to himself that she had the most startling pair of eyes. Her lashes were thick fringes that hid most of her eyes from the world. But beneath them lay twin pools of grey and green that flashed with even temperance and held a mysterious quality to them.  
  
From a fair distance away, she was attractive. But up close, her beauty was spell-binding. And she didn't even swoon at his feet, unlike every other girl in school. She just stood there, holding his gaze evenly. Then again, she was the ONLY girl he knew of who could meet his glare at eye-level. Standing at a height of probably 6'2", according to his estimations, Rukawa knew she was definitely going to present a challenge.   
  
She had a porcelain complexion that was completely unblemished and freckle-free, as well as high cheekbones, a Roman nose, rosy lips and a strong jawline balanced on a graceful Nefertiti neck. In one corner of his mind, he noticed the small dimple on her right cheek emphasized a smile that could make any guy melt.   
  
He finally accepted her hand, much to the surprise of everyone.   
  
"Hai," he replied softly, suddenly aware of the tingling that was coursing through his body when their hands made contact. She didn't seem to notice and continued to stare back at him.   
  
"Ahem."  
  
Rukawa immediately released Maléna's hand, feeling his cheeks burn with embarrassment as Akagi cleared his throat. "Perhaps, you would be willing to tell us more about yourself. I'm sure the boys want to hear about your background, Maléna."  
  
"Thank you Akagi, I will. My name is Maria Maléna Lisabeta Soledad Hernandez Anzai. I live in Los Angeles, California and I'm a member of the basketball club and part of Women's Team USA. I think, from my name, you would have already concluded that my father is Spanish and my mother is Japanese. I have 3 brothers who are all into sports, and I am the only girl in the family."   
  
Maléna's face turned serious and she looked at each team member. "Coach Anzai left me in charge to teach you the finer points of the game. I do not want to disappoint him, and I know neither do you. Although he and I are related, I tell you that my ways of running things are different."   
  
"You may not believe any of my accomplishments that he enumerated, but know this: I am a perfectionist and I pay strict attention to detail. If any of you are careless, I will not hesitate to instill the proper disciplinary actions."  
  
"On the court and during practice, I am your coach, and I will be strict. I am patient, but once you cross the line, do not be afraid to face the consequences of your actions. Except during these occasions, I am your friend and your peer. Know when to act in my presence."  
  
"I demand order, precision, and compliance. If you want to win, you must learn to think and act as one. If decisions are to be made, it will be as a team. Coach Anzai stressed that the rifts between all of you must be smoothened out."   
  
"Just work with me and we'll be able to win every game without any problems. You may even make it as far as the Junior Goodwill Games," she finished, giving all who were present a challenging look.  
  
Sakuragi looked at Miyagi and Mitsui. They found themselves beginning to think dark thoughts about Maléna's personality and they had the urge to walk out of practice.   
  
Instead of doing that, they stalked back to the locker room without saying a word. Rukawa followed behind them. He had to get out to sort out his thoughts that were now running riot. A feeling that was alien to him was beginning to emerge and he didn't like it.  
  
Maléna paid them no heed and began giving out instructions.   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC   
  
  
Author's Notes: My teacher told me that the Spanish write their mother's family names after their father's, so I applied it to my character, since she IS Spanish... 


	3. Chapter Two: Practice is Ruined or A Cha...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.  
  
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWO - Practice is Ruined (or A Challenge Issued)  
  
  
  
  
"Alright, everyone! Chest passing! Get spunky!"  
  
Huffing from the exertion, the players continued their practice, with Maléna calling out instructions from the sidelines. Sneakers thumped, shoe soles skidded across the floor, and boisterous yells filled the gymnasium, along with the tell-tale scent of sweat and rubber, creating a rather musty aroma inside.  
  
Maléna didn't mind any of that. She felt right at home with the noise, the smell...the atmosphere. The athlete in her belonged on the hardcourt, having made it her sanctuary for almost four years of her life. She loved the sport, loved the way she could control the ball, loved the way the ball whished into the net when she nailed that sweet shot every time.   
  
Part of her was a true-blue cager. This, she was sure of after trying almost every other sport before basketball. Just as her Grandfather loved playing and coaching the game, so did Maléna. In fact, she had studied every playbook she could get her hands on, watched every local, national, and international game just to learn about plays, and devised her own special ones in her head.  
  
'This is one thing I do best,' she told herself, as she watched Team Shohoku from her position on one of the chairs.  
  
Two players, however, were not around: Rukawa and Hanamichi. This was highly unusual, as they were always the first to arrive.  
  
Akagi seethed, embarrassed that Maléna had to witness their display of behavior. As the team captain, he wanted the team to make a good impression on her, but the problem was not one, but TWO of the important players of the team were either late, or had forgotten about practice.  
  
'When those two idiots show up, I'm going to bash their heads together,' he silently swore as he went through the routine practice with the rest.  
  
Just then, both Rukawa and Hanamichi arrived. Maléna turned to both of them and calmly told them to do 200 push-ups as punishment. Hanamichi glared while Rukawa remained silent.  
  
"You can't do that to me! I'm a genius."  
  
'A self-proclaimed one,' Maléna thought as she nailed his gaze. "Oh? Can't I, Sakuragi?" she retorted icily. "BOTH of you are late, BOTH of you test my limits, BOTH of you deserve it. Or do you want me to double the number of push-ups?"  
  
Rukawa immediately dropped down on all fours, much to the shock of his fan club who just arrived. Hanamichi was dumbfounded.   
  
'Damn her!' he silently cursed, following Rukawa's example and accomplishing the 200 push-ups in record time. They both stood up.  
  
"Done," they intoned sullenly.   
  
Maléna nodded. "Good. You may join your teammates now." Ayako put away her Paper Fan of Doom, much to the relief of everyone.   
  
Rukawa's fans were not very happy with the way their idol was being treated and they grumbled in the background sending hostile glares at the auburn-haired girl.   
  
"Who the hell does this bitch think she is, bossing around OUR Rukawa-kun?!" cried a short-haired girl who was obviously the leader, as she stomped towards Maléna, wanting to confront her.  
  
She changed her mind, however, once she neared the player-turned-coach. Up close, the said girl loomed over her, and she knew that her height of 5 feet wasn't anything close to Maléna's 6'2".   
  
The latter turned around to stare down at the former, ignoring the comments she had heard minutes ago from their group. "Is there anything I can do for you?" she sweetly asked, amused at how the girl visibly quivered under her.  
  
"Um...hehehe...n-no...nothing at all," the shorter girl replied, nervously backing away. Her companions scooted to a far-off corner of the gym and huddled together, casting nervous glances at Maléna and forgetting all about their hero.  
  
Not bothering to suppress her giggles, Ayako patted her friend's arm. "You sure put them in their place, Maléna. Sakuragi-kun makes enough noise as it is. That's why height can be such an advantage."  
  
The tall girl nodded, then frowned when she heard loud knocking. It grew more insistent, and when she pressed her ear to the door, she could hear the faint voice of a TV reporter saying, "We are here outside the Shohoku High gymnasium to confirm the rumors that American basketball superstar, Maléna Hernandez, has agreed to coach their basketball club. She was first spotted at the Tokyo International Airport and some sources last saw her boarding the train to Kanagawa..."  
  
'And you thought nobody would recognize you, even with the Ray-Bans,' a voice scolded her.  
  
Maléna made frantic gestures to signal Ayako. "Aya-chan, there are reporters outside the door, waiting for me to come out. I'm pretty sure they want to splash my face on tomorrow's front page, unless we do something."  
  
"What do you want me to say?" Ayako asked, realization dawning on her.  
  
"If they ask about me, tell them the truth about my agreement to coach you guys. Also, please tell them that I'm not available for interviews now. Promise them a press conference for later. That might help."  
  
With that, Maléna ducked inside a supply cabinet, keeping her eyes both on the door and on the team. Ayako took a deep breath, opened the door and then walked out, quickly shutting it behind her.  
  
A microphone was thrust at her, and other reporters withdrew their tape recorders. One reporter asked, "Where is Maléna Hernandez? We heard she's agreed to coach the basketball club, is it true?"  
  
Ayako held up a hand, hoping she looked professional enough before replying, "Yes, Maléna Hernandez did agree to that. The rumors are true."  
  
"But is she here?" another reporter asked.   
  
Ayako shook her head. "Unfortunately, Miss Hernandez is unavailable for interviews as of now. However, as soon as she is well enough from jet lag, she told me that she will be holding a press conference to answer all your questions. Now, if you will excuse me, the team is still practicing inside and I'm needed in there."  
  
Before they could bombard her with any more questions, Ayako turned and shut the door in their faces, making sure it was locked. Once inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. 'I forgot how popular our new coach is,' she thought wryly.   
  
She called out to her friend, gently knocking on the supply cabinet. "You can come out now, dear...they're all gone."  
  
"Are they really?" a muffled voice asked.  
  
"Yes...Come out now, I'm getting worried you might asphyxiate in there."  
  
The cabinet opened and Maléna stepped out, dusting herself off. She flashed a grateful smile to which Ayako waved off. "No need to thank me, girl. I did like slamming the door in their faces and all."  
  
"Yeah, and you acted quite professional, talking like my agent and all...thanks just the same."   
  
Just then, Hanamichi and Rukawa got into a fist-fight and not even Akagi could pull them out of it. A flurry of fists punctucated each curse that was heard - mostly from Hanamichi - as the two carried on with what was beginning to look like an out-of-their-minds brawl.   
  
Ayako took out her Paper Fan of Doom (from goodness knows where she keeps it hidden) and stalked towards the two boys, veins popping out on her forehead. Maléna, however, was already a couple of strides ahead of her.   
  
"Akagi, does this happen often?"  
  
The team captain snorted. "At every practice. I can't get them to shape up and even after I told them that they shouldn't display this kind of behavior in front of you, they wouldn't listen."  
  
"Well, I can't allow it to continue. I have a feeling that they can win you any game, provided they work together. Grandfather was right when he said they'd be assets to your team."   
  
Mitsui shook his head. "With the way they're carrying on, I doubt that. Bunch of kids if you ask me."  
  
Maléna gave a resigned sigh. If she let the fight continue, it would disrupt them all the more. She had to stop them NOW. "Alright, break it up, both of you!" she said, successfully pulling them apart.  
  
"Mind your own business!" Hanamichi snarled. "You can't boss me around!"   
  
Maléna's eyes flashed. "Watch your mouth, rookie," she warned, her voice low and menacing. Rukawa felt his blood run cold in his veins. She was definitely angry now, except the do'aho didn't seem to notice.  
  
Hanamichi continued to glare at Maléna, who had turned around and had started to walk back to the sidelines. "Damn you! I shouldn't be taking shit from you! You have no right to coach us, bitch!"  
  
She stilled, her hands balling into fists at her sides. The rookie had to be taught a lesson. Walking back to them, she stopped as soon as she was a foot away from Hanamichi.   
  
Her gaze unflinching, she drew back her hand and slapped him. HARD. His head flung to one side and he stood stock-still, too stunned to move.  
  
Rukawa could actually see the red imprint on Hanamichi's cheek that was growing redder than his hair. He had crossed the line.   
  
"That's three curse words, Sakuragi," Maléna quietly stated, breaking the deafening silence that hung over everyone. The team couldn't believe how she could have done that. Hanamichi couldn't easily be subdued by anyone other than Akagi, so hot-tempered was he.  
  
Bringing up a hand, Hanamichi tentatively rubbed his stinging cheek, turning shocked brown eyes to stormy grey-green ones. Ironically, he was thinking a whole lot clearer now. Maléna, however, was still furious.   
  
"If there is one thing I abhor, Sakuragi, it's swearing. I will not hear it again from you, is that clear? If you dare to curse in my presence, I will be forced to remove you from the team until you can learn never to talk with an empty head."   
  
Hanamichi slowly nodded, still rubbing his cheek. Maléna spun around on her heel, walking over to where her things were. "If it will make you feel better Sakuragi, don't attend practice. For now, I'm too disgusted to continue watching all of you. Dismissed."  
  
With that, she unlocked the door and walked out, slamming it shut behind her. Akagi took Hanamichi's shoulders and shook him roughly, angry at the turn of events.   
  
"YOU IDIOTS! What the hell got into both of you this time?! Fighting in front of a professional player and then insulting her?! Hanamichi, I never expected you to act like a spoiled brat!"  
  
"And as for YOU," he barked, turning to glare at Rukawa. "You should know better! If you want to truly become a good basketball player, you will respect your coach and refrain from provoking people!"  
  
"I'll go after her and apologize," Kogure offered. Mitsui volunteered as well.   
  
"NO! These two are the root cause of everything. THEY'LL go after Maléna and apologize," said Akagi, shoving Hanamichi and Rukawa out the door.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"Do'aho...look at the mess you've gotten us into. I don't even think we'll have a coach anymore because of you."  
  
Hanamichi remained silent as they walked out of the gym. He hated to admit it, but the Kitsune was right. He was not, however, about to grovel in front of Maléna.  
  
The sun was beginning to set and already the school was almost deserted, with very few students left loitering around the campus.   
  
Maléna was nowhere to be found.   
  
Hanamichi and Rukawa looked in every classroom and asked the security guards if a red-haired girl had walked out of the gates. They had told the boys that they hadn't seen Maléna walk out and figured that she might still be inside the school.   
  
As they walked down the corridors of the second floor, Hanamichi heard something coming from the Music Room. The door was left ajar, and when they opened it, they found Maléna playing the violin. She had her back to them and she was playing with such an intensity that she didn't hear them enter, until they both spoke up.  
  
"We're sorry."   
  
The violin stopped abruptly and her shoulders shook slightly. A feeling of dread washed over them. Surely Maléna wasn't crying? But she wasn't crying at all. Far from it. She was actually laughing as she turned to face them.  
  
"You caught me," she giggled, gently setting the violin down on a nearby piano stool.  
  
Both boys were confused. "Caught you?"   
  
"It was Papa's idea that my brothers and I learn at least one musical instrument. 'A great stress-reliever', as he would always say," she explained.  
  
Hanamichi stepped forward, cutting off anything else she could say. "I just want to tell you something...Frankly, I don't like the idea of you coaching us. In fact, I'd rather have the old man back."  
  
"I see." She nodded.  
  
"Gori says for me to treat you with respect, but the thing is, he had to EARN my respect. I listen to him because he defeated me when I challenged him to one-on-one. It's the same with the rest of the team."  
  
"So, if you want my respect, you'll have to earn it like he did," Hanamichi continued, ignoring Rukawa's annoyed sighs in the background. "You'll have to defeat me in one-on-one."  
  
"Fine. Is tomorrow afternoon okay with you?"  
  
Hanamichi held up a hand. "I issued the challenge, I state the time." He paused for a more dramatic effect, then said, "It will be tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"She just said the same thing a few sentences ago, do'aho," Rukawa admonished dryly, sweatdropping.   
  
Maléna finally agreed. "Very well, Sakuragi. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	4. Chapter Three: Getting to know Maléna

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.  
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER THREE - Getting to know Maléna  
  
  
  
"So, let me get this straight...Coach Anzai left for Hawaii and decided to let his granddaughter take his place and coach you, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"And this GIRL is from America and, according to Coach Anzai, is a professional player, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"And she's as old as us, and she's been thinking of continuing high school in Japan, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"And you're not convinced she's good, even after Coach Anzai said she was, and even after he went as far as listing down the games she's been in, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Are you mad because a GIRL is coaching you this time? Has your ego got something to do with all of this?"  
  
Sakuragi cringed a little. Youhei laughed. "So it HAS to do with your ego!" he cried triumphantly. "You don't like being coached by a girl, do you?"  
  
"NO!" came the vehement reply.  
  
His three other friends laughed. "He's wimped out by a girl! He's wimped out by a girl!" they chanted in unison, full stereo. Hanamichi's ears started ringing and he gave them his trademark forehead smack, leaving one growing lump on each of their foreheads.  
  
He turned back to Youhei and crossed his arms. "Honestly, she insults my skills. I just KNOW she can't beat me at basketball. I'm a genius! She's a girl!"  
  
"Now that's not a very nice thing to say," Youhei remarked, finishing off the remains of his ramen. He remained silent for a moment, chewing in thought and then...  
  
"You know what, I've seen this Maléna girl and I think she's really nice. Do you know that in some certain angles she kinda looks like you? She could pass as your twin sister or something," Youhei grinned between bites, watching Hanamichi's expression change from one of slight embarrassment to outraged shock.  
  
"NANI?! You actually think she's NICE?! She's a gaijin and a proud one at that! Curse her so-called techniques! And for your information, she looks nothing like me!"  
  
"You're being a sexist, Hanamichi...That won't do you any good if you want Haruko to like you."  
  
"I don't care! At the moment, I feel insulted that a GIRL challenged me, the genius, to some one-on-one!"  
  
Youhei yawned as Hanamichi went off into another tirade. This was normal and he knew that within a matter of days, he'd have the greatest amount of respect for Maléna. In the meantime, Hanamichi had to get ready for the one-on-one game.  
  
"Oi, Hanamichi...stop muttering dark thoughts and prepare for your game. I have a feeling she'll swamp you, so be careful."  
  
"NANI!?!"  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Maléna got to the gym thirty minutes before her game with Hanamichi would commence. She decided to warm up, doing in-place jogging, a few stretches and then shooting hoops and fast dribbling. Executing a backflip, she did a few more knee bends and then began shooting three-pointers.  
  
Each shot swished harmlessly though the net, each shot was precise and well-executed. Next up: Dribbling. She pretended that two people were guarding her and trying to steal the ball. Pivoting a little on her left foot, she dribbled the ball between her legs, her eyes trained on the net. She did a half-turn and jumped for the shot, the ball swishing through the net again.  
  
"Ringless," said a monotone voice.  
  
Turning her head to the source of the voice, she found Rukawa standing by the door, watching her. Maléna shook her head and passed the ball to him. "Play?"  
  
Rukawa looked at her and replied, "You're good." His reply permitted a small smile from her. He was still doubtful of her abilities, and he thought buttering her up would cover up his dislike for her.   
  
"Yeah, well...I got into sports because of my brothers. The eldest loves soccer, so I tried that for a while. The second one loves baseball, I got into that too. My younger brother...he loved basketball and since we spend more time together, I got into it way over my head," she explained, hesitating a little at mentioning her younger brother.  
  
He continued to stare at her, still trying to digest all of what he had seen her do moments ago. How did she make those shots seem effortless? Her jumps were also unusually high for a girl, as high as - he hated to admit it - Sakuragi's.   
  
Rukawa tried to take note of the way she held the ball and how she had dribbled it, but her movements were a blur to him. He had a feeling that Maléna could surpass Maki in terms of quickness on the court without even breaking into a sweat. But that didn't make her good enough in his eyes. She still had to defeat him.  
  
"What's your position?" he asked, not breaking eye contact with her as he removed his jacket and walked towards her, the ball in his hands.  
  
She caught the ball when he passed it to her and bounced it a couple of times before answering, "Forward. But one time, our Point Guard got really sick so I had to sub for her. There have also been times when I had to play Shooting Guard, but I think the best thing that ever happened to me was when I got injured and coached my team."  
  
"You got injured?"  
  
"Yeah, and in a very bad way too."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"During a game, I was knocked down by one of my teammates when we both tried to rebound. Her elbow struck me near my left eye and I went down really hard and hit my head. The next thing I knew, I was throwing up water all over the place and nearly got dehydrated."  
  
"They told me I had suffered a concussion and they wouldn't let me play in the next games, but they allowed me to coach. I devised some really good plays in my hospital bed and we won the nationals," she finished, the memory bringing a sad smile to her face.  
  
From the expression she wore, Rukawa knew that she had wanted to play very badly and that no injury would have stopped her from participating. 'Then again, she could be making that up...Some sob story...'  
  
He stopped himself before he could say anything stupid and instead..."It must have been hard watching your teammates play the game you could have been playing."  
  
Maléna shrugged. "It's no big deal, Rukawa. The team won anyway, that's all that matters. Besides, if Grandfather found out that I went against his wishes and played with my head injury, he would be angry," she replied, bouncing the ball twice before shooting it into the net.   
  
Again, it swished in and Rukawa turned his gaze back to her.  
  
"How do you do that?" he asked.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Shoot the ball everytime. I don't know how you're always so sure of your shots. Mitsui would be green with envy."  
  
The red-haired girl winked. "Don't worry, I'll tell you guys my secrets later during practice. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise I have in store for Sakuragi."  
  
"He'd be floored once he sees you shooting his ass off," Rukawa smirked, picturing an sd-Hanamichi sulking off in a corner as Maléna continued shooting in the background. Of course, he'd be convinced she was good if she could get past him.  
  
Just then, Hanamichi came in panting hard. He took one look at Rukawa and then deposited his things on a nearby chair before walking up to Maléna.   
  
"I'm here now, Coach," he declared, sarcasm evident in his tone of voice. Maléna remained unfazed and instead calmly suggested that he should warm up a little.  
  
At her suggestion, Hanamichi snorted. "Ha! A genius like myself doesn't need to warm up! Let's get it on!"  
  
Not being able to hold back his comments this time, Rukawa shook his head. "Baka...you should know better."  
  
Steam started coming out Hanamichi's ears and he pounced on his passive teammate. "Damn you, Rukawa! If you won't stop, I'll certainly start pulling out your hair and glue them to your armpits!"  
  
Maléna's pleas were promptly ignored, as the two continued to fight, drawing the attention of Akagi and the rest of the players who were walking to the gym.  
  
Turning his head to the others, Akagi gestured for them to hurry up. "You guys have been wanting proof that Sensei's granddaugter is good...well today, you're all gonna get it from her."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Maléna had had enough. Before they could land any more punches to each other, she stepped in, catching both their fists in her hands. Stunned, the boys could only gape at her, amazed at the hidden strength in her grip.  
  
"Enough personalities, BOTH of you!" she growled, her eyes flashing dangerously. They immediately dropped their hands to their sides and she whooshed out a breath. "Damn, but you'll BOTH be the death of me," she mumbled under her breath.  
  
She turned to face Hanamichi and passed the ball. "You really want to start the game, Sakuragi? Well then, let's get it on. Don't worry, I won't go easy on you."  
  
"But I'll go easy on you," came the smug reply.  
  
"Don't be too sure," Rukawa muttered, sitting down to watch the game that was about to evolve before his very eyes. 'This ought to be good,' he thought, scanning Maléna for any sign of nervousness. He found none. Instead, she allowed Hanamichi to start on offense while she would block him.  
  
"This will be half-court Sakuragi, and we have fifteen baskets to make. Whoever makes fifteen first, wins. Your ball."  
  
Hanamichi nodded and began dribbling the ball. Maléna crouched in front of him, blocking him quite effectively, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Hanamichi tried to move, but no matter where he went, she was one step ahead of him. His eyes flashed at her and in that moment, she tapped the ball in her direction, aimed, and made her first point.  
  
Rukawa's trained eyes were unable to see how she had stolen the ball, but he had to hand it to her for her remarkable defense. 'She makes Sendoh look like an awkward orangutan with the way she shoots and Uozumi looks nothing like King Kong next to her in blocking,' he thought, briefly picturing a spiky-haired orangutan dressed in a Ryonan uniform screeching out plays on the court and a fake King Kong trying to block.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Akagi and the rest of the team had entered just in time to see her steal the ball from Hanamichi and make an effortless shot. He spotted Rukawa sitting on one of the chairs, watching the two redheads battle it out on half-court and approached him. "Oi, Rukawa...what did we miss?"  
  
"Nothing much. They just started."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Her defense is good. I'd have to say even better than Uozumi's or Team Shoyo. I couldn't follow her hands when she stole the ball."  
  
Akagi digested this information carefully, not even noticing the admiring tone in Rukawa's voice. "I see...so did she say she would go easy on Sakuragi?"  
  
The dark-haired player shook his head. "Sakuragi said he'd go easy on her."  
  
Both Mitsui and Miyagi snickered in the background, but Kogure was serious. "Sakuragi has gotten good with the intensive training he received from us. From what Rukawa has told us, if given the chance to play against her, I'm sure she'd nick all of us clean without even getting the least bit tired," he said, sitting down on one of the chairs to watch.  
  
His comment brought Mitsui and Miyagi to attention. There was a look in Kogure's eyes that they couldn't decipher, but they decided that he must be THAT serious about Maléna's skills.  
  
"Watch them," Akagi instructed, pulling up a chair. "You might be able to learn something from this."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	5. Chapter Four: The Battle of the Redheads...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FOUR - The Battle of the Redheads (Maléna vs. Hanamichi)  
  
  
  
  
"Sendoh, I heard Coach Anzai left for Hawaii a few days ago. Is that true?" Koshino caught up with the taller boy and waited for him to answer.  
  
Sendoh nodded. "That's what I heard. And not only that, he asked his granddaughter to replace him for a while."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. I hear she came all the way from America just to be here. And rumors say that she wants to continue her education here so she can watch over her grandfather. But then again, those are just rumors. Let's not talk about it anymore."  
  
Koshino nodded. "You're right. We should just concentrate on our games with Shohoku. We'll beat them this time, that's for sure."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Meanwhile, things were getting exciting back at the Shohoku High Gymnasium. All that could be heard was the squeaking of sneakers sliding across the floor and the rhythmic bouncing of a basketball, as Hanamichi and Maléna continued their one-on-one with the other Shohoku team members watching from the sidelines.  
  
The score was now 12-0, in favor of Maléna. The ball was in her possession and Hanamichi tried his best to block her. As she dribbled the ball, she lectured him, yelling out instructions not only for him, but for the others watching.  
  
"If you want to be successful at playing defense, always remember rule number one: CONCENTRATE! FOCUS! If you keep thinking about how far you're leading or trailing behind, you'll end up slacking!" She punctuated the sentence with a flurry of dribbling.  
  
She pivoted around on her right foot before continuing, "Learn to feel your teammates' presence! Use the eyes at the back of your head!"  
  
Suddenly, Maléna passed the ball around Hanamichi's head, distracting him. "You must be way ahead of your opponent and think of what he may do next and how to counter!"   
  
"Train both your eyes and your thoughts to spot for weaknesses!" she finished, seeing a weak spot in his defense and in a sudden burst of speed, pulling away to shoot another pointer.  
  
Hanamichi growled and leaped high to block her, trying the special block he had done on Akagi and Uozumi. Maléna was in mid-jump and she smirked at his valiant effort to block. She had seen this all before.   
  
"Good blocking Sakuragi...BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" she declared, putting in the right force to shoot. She calculated the ball's projectile and grinned when the tip of Hanamichi's middle finger made contact with the ball. Just as she had predicted, the slight contact made the ball roll around the rim before dropping into the net, earning her another point.   
  
Akagi gasped. "How the hell did she...? I didn't even see how she was able to shoot. That was Sakuragi's number one blocking technique and she saw right through it!"  
  
"She really IS a good player," Ayako marveled, watching Maléna intently. "Right, Rukawa-kun?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Eh? Rukawa-kun..." her voice trailed off when she saw the animated glint in Rukawa's eyes. He was leaning forward, his chin propped up on his hands, his eyes watching Maléna's every move that matched up to Sakuragi's.   
  
Every now and then, his thoughts wandered to the way her hair seemed aflame when she played, how the green of her eyes seemed to darken into a shade of emerald when she was this intense, how she managed to stay calm when she made the most difficult shots seem easy. Even down to how she could change the angles of her jumps when she went for a point was unbelievable.  
  
He caught himself thinking of her again and mentally kicked himself the nth time. 'Rukawa Kaede, that girl has to defeat you first before you can say she's truly good at what she does,' he told himself, turning his attention back to the game and trying to brush off the same reactions his body had been experiencing for the past few days.  
  
Following the direction of his gaze, Ayako realized something she was sure Rukawa did not know yet. Unknowingly, he was falling for Coach Anzai's granddaughter. It was already quite obvious in the way he looked at her.   
  
She had seen how Rukawa had blushed -blushed! He had actually BLUSHED!-when he shook hands with Maléna and she was more sure of it now. Haruko would feel bad, but there was Sakuragi, who had always liked her. Now if only there was some way to get them together...  
  
Ayako's reverie was interrupted by Hanamichi's agonized yell. "AAAAGGGGHHHH! I LOST!"   
  
He cursed himself, pounding his head on the floor and wishing it would open up and swallow him. This was one of the most embarrassing moments of his lfe as a player for Team Shohoku. Hanamichi knew he had improved with the training, but next to the old man's granddaughter, he felt totally inadequate. 'Kuso! I can't believe she defeated me!'  
  
He felt a gentle weight on his shoulder and looked up to find Maléna crouching down at eye-level. Instead of mocking him, she did the unexpected. She smiled and said, "Good game, Sakuragi. I've never been matched up against a guy as tall as you before, and I must say, this was one hell of a workout for me."  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"I have never lied before, Sakuragi...and I don't intend on starting now," came the even reply. She stood up and held out her hand for him to take. Hanamichi accepted and the silence was broken with the excited hollers from the rest of the team.   
  
They ran out onto the court, some of them joyfully clapping Hanamichi on his back while others shook Maléna's hand. Both Mitsui and Miyagi seemed hesitant to shake her hand, suddenly feeling inferior to her hardcourt skills, but she stepped up to both of them and grasped their hands in hers.   
  
"We have a long way to go...And I know we can do this."  
  
"You have our respect, Coach. From now on, you're in charge of us," Mitsui declared, awed that a great player like her had agreed to train them further.   
  
The young girl wrinkled her nose in mock distaste. "I guess I'll have to get used to 'Coach', even if only Grandfather has the right to be called that and I'm just doing what he asked me to."  
  
The substitute players, along with Kogure, comforted Hanamichi, saying that his one-on-one with Maléna was exceptional and his play had improved. Hanamichi swallowed the growing lump in his throat painfully. He hated to admit it, but he needed more training and only Maléna could give him such training and turn him into an all-around player.  
  
Akagi had improved his shooting, but he still had a lot to learn. Hanamichi needed to get into shape to be able to become a truly great player. Before he could do anymore reflecting, the people around him parted to make way for Maléna. He held out his hand and softly muttered his congratulations, not wanting to look into her eyes.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't accept the hand you offer me, Hanamichi."  
  
Shocked murmurs were heard among the team members and just as Hanamichi was about to lower his hand, she smiled. "I don't want to shake your hand, Sakuragi Hanamichi. But I would rather hug you," she said, spreading her arms out to embrace him. He choked back a sob and hiccuped slightly, humbled by her warm gesture of friendship.   
  
Miyagi looked at Akagi and nudged him. "Is she allowed to do that?"  
  
Akagi shrugged one shoulder, secretly happy for how the way things had been turning out for Team Shohoku.  
  
"Dammit Coach, you're turning me soft!" Hanamichi complained, returning her hug.   
  
Maléna laughed and whispered, "I promise, I'll turn you into one of the best players in Japan, Hanamichi." She pulled away, suddenly noticing Rukawa staring intently at her out of the corner of her eye. She merely shrugged it off, thinking that her head was playing tricks on her.  
  
Ayako, on the other hand, recognized the flash of jealousy in Rukawa's eyes when Maléna embraced Hanamichi. She DEFINITELY had to tell Miyagi-kun about what she had seen. 'I think I've found Rukawa some romance,' she told herself gleefully, picturing another happy couple before the season ended.  
  
"All right! Enough with the theatrics, it's down to serious business." Maléna's tone took on a sharper edge, drawing their attention to her. "I know some of you have questions you've been wanting to ask. Don't be afraid, I'm in this as much as you are. We have to help each other, team."  
  
Miyagi raised his hand. "Coach, do you have techniques on how to distract whoever is blocking you or whoever you're blocking?"  
  
"Glad you asked. That's quite easy, actually. The best thing to do is to fake. This will force the opponent to execute whatever move he has been planning and from there, it's smooth. You can also try pulling your own stunts like what I did earlier, when I passed the ball around Hanamichi's head. It's done like this..."  
  
Maléna proceeded to ask Rukawa to stand up, holding the ball in front of her with her right hand and passing it to her left around his head.  
  
All players made mental notes to try that trick sometime, and Mitsui decided to ask the next question. "Coach, how are you always so sure of your shots? I've seen many great outside shooters and yet, they miss a lot. Is there a secret to this?"  
  
"Well, I have only one thing for you to do. I want all of you to practice shooting 800 three-pointers everyday. If you miss one shot, you will have to go back to the beginning. Do this until your aim is good and you know just the right amount of force to put in your throws."   
  
'NANI?! 800 shots?!' Akagi silently cried out in disbelief.  
  
'Back to one if we miss?!' Mitsui gulped, his jaw clenching.   
  
"I know what you're all thinking: 'Why 800 shots? Why start back at one if ever I miss?' Well, let me tell you that if you don't want to start back at one, I suggest you maintain your aim. That rule is to help others who have trouble shooting get used to the feel of the ball in their hands, how it's supposed to go out of your hands, and how to maintain good aiming," Maléna explained, placing her hands on her hips to demonstrate her authority.  
  
Silence.  
  
Hanamichi stood up. "If you ask for 800 shots, I promise to deliver 800 shots. And I won't miss one!"  
  
"So will I," Rukawa added, standing up as well. He stared long at Maléna, suddenly wishing he had issued the challenge instead of Sakuragi. The red-haired girl raised an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to match up against her.   
  
Turning her attention to the rest, Maléna let her authoritative side take over and began dividing the teams into two for the scrimmage. "If there are no more questions, I want all of you to start practice. Let's do some warm-ups and then we'll have a scrimmage game. Akagi, Hanamichi, and Mitsui will be the main men on one team. Miyagi, Rukawa, and Kogure will be on the other. Ayako-san, you give the signal to start."  
  
"HAI!"  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Three hours after practice, the team was about ready to leave when Maléna called them together for an announcement.   
  
"I dismissed you guys early today because I want all of you here tomorrow at the crack of dawn. Set your alarm clocks to four o' clock and get here before five o' clock. I have the keys to the gym with me and I want us to make use of the time we have. This weekend, wake up early, we're going jogging together and we continue practice until evening."  
  
"Yes, Coach!" the team chorused, trying to hide the horror they felt at her words. Four o' clock in the morning? Impossible.  
  
"Akagi, how many laps do you guys usually do?"  
  
"Um...60."  
  
"60? Double that. 120 laps everyone, is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, Coach," everyone chorused, beginning to feel as if they were attending boot camp.  
  
"Good. I expect to see you here tomorrow before five. Whoever is late will be fined and will have to stay behind later in the afternoon for extra practice," the young girl warned, sending a glare their way. "Now, go home and study all your lessons and sleep early. I don't want our practices to be an excuse for poor academic marks."  
  
"Oh, that'll be the day," Hanamichi muttered, knowing how poorly he did in class and how many times he used basketball as an excuse for sleeping in class.   
  
A new recruit raised his hand a little hesitantly. "Are you saying we have to study to stay on the team, Coach?"  
  
"In the first place, I never said you had to make basketball your life, and I'm sure Coach Anzai told you the same thing I am telling you, now. High school is just a stepping stone to your future. Your chances of being drafted as a professional player are about one in a million," she patiently explained, taking her time to let reality sink in.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
Maléna shook her head. "I got drafted out of luck. But that didn't make me neglect my education. My dream is to graduate as the high school valedictorian and later get a degree. My life will not just be about basketball, but about learning how to survive when I lose some of the gifts given to me."  
  
"Now, enough of the drama, get going and go on home. I have some 'projects' to make," she said, shooing them away with a wave of her hand.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Ayako found Rukawa outside the gym, staring blankly into space. She put two and two together and figured that he was waiting for Maléna to come out.   
  
"Coach Maléna isn't done with her...*ahem*...'projects'. I did give suggestions for a while, but she told me to go home. Don't you have a place to go home to, Rukawa-kun?"  
  
He didn't answer. He didn't even hear her until she chuckled. "You like her, don't you, Rukawa-kun?"  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"Oh, enough with the blank stare!" she snorted, mildly annoyed. "You KNOW who I'm talking about."  
  
"No, I don't."  
  
Ayako scoffed. "Ha! Don't tell me you don't think about a certain tall somebody with green eyes, auburn hair and dangerous curves! I've seen the way you look at her."  
  
He scuffed at the dirt with his shoe, trying to look bored. But Ayako's inquiring gaze was making him squirm and he ducked his head so she wouldn't see his discomfort.  
  
"I knew it! I just KNEW you had a thing for her!" Ayako crowed triumphantly. "I can't wait to see you two together!"  
  
"I don't like her, Ayako. She's not good enough, that's final."  
  
She stopped short, suddenly aware of the uncertainty in Rukawa's voice. "How sure are you?" she asked, one eyebrow raised in question. He didn't answer.  
  
Ayako sighed. "Honestly, Rukawa, if you keep underestimating women, that will prove to be your undoing."  
  
"Whatever."   
  
He walked off, leaving behind a fuming Ayako.  
  
Inside the gym, a young girl sat at a table, studying a blue notebook in front of her and chewing her pencil in thought as she continued to draw figures across each sheet.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	6. Chapter Five: The Kitsune and the Latina...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FIVE - The Kitsune and the Latina Face-off  
  
  
  
Dawn. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a pink glow over the horizon when Rukawa set off to practice on his own. As he pedalled through the streets, his bicycle squeaked, constantly reminding him that it was in dire need of repair.   
  
There were a few brave joggers out on that particular morning, all lost in their own worlds just as he was on his bike. A soft breeze blew, carrying with it a dewy scent that tickled his olfactory senses, rejuvenating his lungs. He sped up, wanting to make most of the early morning by shooting hoops.   
  
Usually, when he did bike to school, he'd collide into a few trash cans, make friendly acquaintances with telephone posts, nearly run over kids and senior citizens, and cause freak accidents to happen during rush hour. But where the word 'basketball' was involved, he was wide awake and a careful citizen on his two-wheeler.  
  
Rukawa rounded a corner, anticipation growing inside him as he neared his destination. A half-court fenced in by criss-crossed metal wires that was partly surrounded by tall hedges greeted him. He increased speed, neatly hopping off his bike after parking it on a nearby bench before rushing off to the court to start his day.  
  
He stopped short at the sound of a ball being bounced on the pavement, surprised that there was someone who woke up earlier than he did. Searching for the person, he edged his way carefully through a few tall bushes before finally spotting him...  
  
'Correction. Her,' he thought, his dark eyes narrowing as they settled on Maléna.   
  
Somehow, she had found out about his sanctuary and he was not going to let her live that down. He silently swore, biting the inside of his cheek to keep calm. She was getting to be annoying with the way she would - according to him - strut around and show off like that do'aho.   
  
It seemed that she was always a step ahead of him and he didn't like that. No girl ever thought of standing in his way and he was not about to let her.   
  
His train of thought was interrupted when Maléna suddenly leapt high into the air, slamming the ball through the hoop and remaining suspended for a few seconds before releasing her hold on the rim and landing with a soft thud on her feet, her hair flying behind her.   
  
For a moment, he could only hold his breath as she went airborne. Not all players could perform the gravity-defying jumps he saw on TV or when Hanamichi DID make a point! And with Maléna's slender build, it only seemed all the more impossible that she could have pulled off that stunt in a scant few seconds.   
  
She had taken off her sweater and tied it around her waist, leaving on a white tanktop underneath. The black stretch pants she wore complimented the outfit quite nicely along with the pair of blue Nike trainers she was wearing.   
  
His keen eyes darted from side to side, watching her every move as she went in for a lay-up. He had to supress a gasp when he saw her shoot with her left hand. Hardly any player could do that, and he was surprised that a GIRL could do such. Beads of sweat were already gathering on her brow, trickling down her face and neck which she wiped off with the back of her hand in a most un-ladylike manner.  
  
Maléna started off, dribbling with her left hand and then her right. She kept switching from left to right, right to left as her body moved in a sort of weaving dance, the coordination of her limbs as graceful as the American players he idolized and emulated.   
  
She suddenly lurched forward, doing a crossover, passing the ball behind her to her other hand and back again before shooting, her aiming accurate as the ball swooshed in, making a loud hissing sound. The ball bounced against the post before finally rolling back towards her. A ray of sunlight caught in her hair, making it gleam like polished mahogany, the sweat droplets making her tresses more iridescent.  
  
She shook her head, spraying the air with moisture before picking up the basketball that was at her feet. By now, Rukawa had stepped out of his hiding place and was intently watching her every move.   
  
With his jaw set, he resolved to come back at a later time, somewhat annoyed that she had gotten there first, but at the same time thankful that he would be able to anticipate her if ever he'd challenge her.   
  
But Maléna had seen him walk out, his attempts to be as noiseless as possible proving futile when she called out to him. "Good morning, Rukawa...Care to join me?"  
  
He grunted in reply before walking back to his bike. He was about to mount it when she called out again.  
  
"C'mon, Rukawa! Where's your sense of fun? Let's play basketball!" she yelled, beckoning to him with a wave of her arm.  
  
'That does it,' he thought, gripping painfully at the handlebars of his bike until his knuckles turned white. 'So she thinks she can actually beat me. I'll show her...'  
  
"Are you sure you can play against me?" he asked, eyeing her slim form.   
  
She kept her face neutral, though a part of her was slightly offended at his sexist remark. "Are you going to play with me, or not?"  
  
"How sure are you that you can beat me?"  
  
"Oh, come on! I DID beat Hanamichi," she reminded him.  
  
"That do'aho is easy to defeat, anyway. You got past him quite easily, but you won't get past me."  
  
With that, he strode over to her and snatched the ball from her grasp. 'Is he doing that on purpose to insult me?' she wondered, as she returned Rukawa's gaze.  
  
His movements reminded her of a panther. Very sleek and graceful, smooth and at the same time, powerful. His body was like that of a swimmer's... With his broad shoulders, well-defined chest and tapered waist, Rukawa did look like one, except that he wasn't. He was a basketball player under her tutelage.   
  
'And a callous, insensitive chauvinist at that,' she thought wryly, surveying the reticent boy who attracted almost all of Shohoku's female student population like moths to a flame. She figured that most of them worshipped Rukawa for his hardcourt skills, but at HER professional level, his skills were hardly discerning of applause.  
  
'He must've assumed you'd melt into putty at his feet like all the rest,' a voice chortled merrily, making her smile a little at the thought.   
  
She, the basher of all sap and romance on her team had a reputation to keep, and she was not about to go out of the closet. She had nothing but bad experiences with boys, one of them being called a flaming telephone pole with legs.  
  
Dates were a no-no for Maléna, as she immersed herself more and more into only three things: her family, the arts, and basketball. She did have a social life alright, but it was one where she had to attend boring dinner parties, chatting with the usual stuffy politicians who wanted her to endorse their campaigns or listen to the demeaning gossip passed around by the different ladies' circles present.  
  
"She leads a suffocating life...One she can't get herself out of," one reporter had said, when she commented on the way Maléna lived her life outside the hardcourt. Maléna had agreed to that, but in her heart, she knew what the important things were all about.   
  
She couldn't just quit what she was doing, not while so many others looked up to her. No, she had a promise to keep to her beloved grandfather. She had to train his boys to become the best and she would fulfill it at all costs. Even if it meant burning the candle at both ends.  
  
She was jolted back into the present when Rukawa passed the ball to her, still glaring. She stared back, undaunted by his colder-than-ice gaze that could readily freeze the entire Japan solid. Hypnotic grey-green clashed with turbulent onyx as the adrenaline began pumping through thousands of veins, zinging through their bodies like the crescendo of an orchestra's symphony.  
  
Maléna drew first blood.  
  
Eyes closed, she breathed a slow, steady rhythm as her hands started to weave a spell. The ball seemed to move of its own accord through her legs, travelling up to her hand then back again. It was as if she and the ball were one as she easily sidestepped Rukawa's block and avoided his attempt to steal, much to his astonishment.   
  
The next few seconds were a blur to him as Maléna pulled away, launching off the ground to shoot at exactly the same moment Rukawa jumped up to block her. He had anticipated her to shoot the ball over his head , even expected it. Instead, she shocked him by passing the ball under his left arm and into the basket, without her body coming in contact with his.   
  
'Double pump lay-up...crap...'  
  
They landed at almost the same time, their feet softly thudding on the pavement as a stronger breeze blew through the bushes. Maléna smirked, recalling Rukawa's floored expression when she pulled off that manuever.  
  
"Tsk, tsk...I'm surprised, Rukawa. I do recall you pulling off the same trick on your teammates a few days ago. Don't tell me you can't anticipate a GIRL," she grinned impishly, shaking her head mockingly at him.  
  
He ground his teeth, looking like he wanted to throttle her. In truth, he was embarrassed that he hadn't seen through her moves earlier on, and he wanted desperately to prove her wrong.   
  
"Beginner's luck," he scoffed, masking his embarrassment perfectly. This time, he had the ball.  
  
'Beginner's luck my foot!' Maléna thought huffily. God, what an ego! Hanamichi she could understand, but this one?!  
  
She was watching him now, her eyes narrowing to slits as she surveyed him. If there was one other thing she hated aside from swearing, it was being insulted because of her gender. Just because she was a girl didn't mean she couldn't do anything! She made it a point to learn to be useful, even learning about plumbing and restoring cars, just so they would shut up.  
  
It wasn't like she was a control freak or anything like that, but she just wanted everyone to realize that she wasn't just a girl (and a TALL one at that), she was somebody fully capable of succeeding. 'Perhaps that's where Rukawa's REAL problem lies,' a voice told her. 'He has a tendency to underestimate women.'   
  
"Let's get on with it, shall we, Rukawa?"  
  
The sullen boy merely glared at her before he started dribbling, his mind completely focused on the game and his whole being dead set on proving to this girl why he was called an ace. What was so damn annoying about her was that she didn't look intimidated at all, reminding him a little of his rival, Sendoh Akira.   
  
He tried to drive through her, but she crouched so low, even lower than Sendoh, spreading her arms out to make an impressive barrier against him. Her eyes rapidly changed from a shade of green to piercing grey, flashing a warning at him, telling him that he should play his best against her. Getting past her was difficult. His eyes searched for an opening, but she was guarding him so tightly, he couldn't get through.  
  
Pivoting around, he feinted before jumping to shoot a three-pointer, gasping involuntarily when a figure rose up to successfully block his shot. 'She...she KNEW...'   
  
Wiping his sweat on his sleeve, Rukawa began to think carefully of how he could nail her, but his chances of doing that were pretty slim. 'Slow down, Rukawa Kaede...She's only had two points so far..you can't expect her to win,' he told himself, taking in deep breaths of air while Maléna did a few knee bends.  
  
This was going to be the most challenging one-on-one game of his life.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"Such a pity. Just when I was beginning to think you were good."   
  
Rukawa cringed inwardly at her snappy remark, but remained quiet. He was not in a very good mood, after Maléna had beaten him 10-3. Part of him wondered if she had slackened on purpose just for him to nail those shots.   
  
Whatever.   
  
"You know what your problem is, Rukawa?" Maléna continued, wiping off her sweat with a towel. He looked up from his sitting position on the ground.   
  
"You underestimate women a lot. A WHOLE LOT! That and the fact that you have an equally cold demeanor," she declared, stuffing her towel into her duffel bag. One dark eyebrow lifted at this.  
  
"What makes you think that? Who are YOU to say that anyway?" he demanded all of a sudden, standing up. Her back was still turned to him and he didn't see that his comments were slowly incensing her. She snorted derisively and continued to rearrange the contents of her bag, silently counting from 100 to 1 slowly, a part of her brain telling her that it was not going to work in this case.   
  
When she didn't answer, Rukawa sighed, running a hand through his untidy hair. "Baka onna," he muttered softly, thinking that she hadn't heard him.  
  
He was wrong.  
  
Maléna swiftly whirled about and stomped towards him, stopping when their noses were only inches apart. Her eyes narrowed, and he actually thought he saw a hidden vein in her temple throbbing.   
  
"You assume that I'm an idiot, you insult my reputation, and you stereotype me! Aren't those reasons enough for me to conclude that you have an attitude problem, Rukawa?" she icily retorted, punctuating her statement with a jab of her index finger to his chest.  
  
He was slowly backing off, not wanting to look at her face that was practically livid. "Yare yare...I didn't mean it...sorry..."  
  
"Well, that just isn't going to work this time, buster! I don't like being insulted just because I'm a girl! What makes you think YOU can do everything, huh?! What about if we switched places and I insulted you about your gender, would it feel good?!"  
  
A slow shake of his head confirmed this.  
  
Maléna continued to advance, however, and shook a fist in his face. "If you even dare to insult my kind one more time, Rukawa, I'll be feeding you a knuckle sandwich."  
  
He was already a little nervous, realizing that she had him right where she wanted him. His male pride told him not to give in to her, but there was a little voice that continued to nag him, admonish him, and lecture him.   
  
"Okay, okay...I promise," he muttered, putting his hands in front of him to ward off any sudden attack.  
  
Maléna's eyes softened and returned to their normal green color, her fist dropping to her side. Well this was definitely a time of firsts for her. This was the first time a boy had apologized to her after insulting her, and the first time she had actually threatened him.  
  
"It's okay...only don't do it again," she warned.  
  
Rukawa was startled. How could she act like a hellion one minute and gentle the next? Women were confusing. And unpredictable. DEFINITELY unpredictable. Especially Maléna. He combed a hand through his hair again in an effort to erase all thoughts of her from his mind.   
  
Why was he always thinking about her? And why was it that he always noticed the smallest details about her, when he never even noticed other girls before? Something was wrong with him. He could even distinguish the unique combination of hyacinth and jasmines and some other scent that was all her own, even when she would just pass by him.   
  
And to make matters worse, parts of his anatomy were already responding to her proximity, making him forget where he was for a moment. He was slowly drowning in her eyes...eyes so green, he ~  
  
"Rukawa...let go of my arms..."  
  
He released her arms, staring at his hands like they had been possessed. Her touch burned him, made him do crazy things. Her skin had been so smooth under his fingers, sending shivers down his spine. He looked at her then back at his hands again, not believing he had actually HELD her. She would probably hate him for this, probably even remove him from the team.  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
"Nothing to be sorry about."  
  
With that, Maléna swung her duffel bag over her shoulder and walked away, leaving him behind to think.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
He hadn't known how long he had sat there on the stone bench, but when he looked up, it was already well over sunrise. The memory of his defeat came back full force, and he massaged the bridge of his nose in an effort to chase away the humiliating images.   
  
'Damn. I actually lost. To HER.'  
  
Rukawa didn't go to school that day. He needed time to think.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
TBC 


	7. Chapter Six: A Special Practice with a D...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SIX - A Special Practice with a Dash of Mexican Seasoning  
  
  
  
Rukawa slept again. All throughout his subjects. The only thing he was looking forward to was basketball practice, where he'd be able to feel the rough texture of the ball as he released it, or the exhilaration of getting high off the ground as he went for a dunk.   
  
And to top it all off, he'd finally be getting the training he wanted from a professional player. It did kind of bother him that the player was a she, adding to the fact that he recently lost to her. But it made things more interesting, especially since he could observe how she was up close. Only one annoyance during every practice though: that do'aho, Sakuragi.  
  
As he walked to the gym, he heard the delighted squeals of girls and felt their eyes boring into his back. 'Foolishness,' he thought to himself. None of them came close to Maléna.   
  
Blinking, he shook his head slightly to clear his mind. He was thinking of her again, and at the most unexpected time. 'Stop thinking of her. Basketball should be your only focus,' he scolded himself as he rounded the corridor, only to collide into Hanamichi.  
  
"Damn you, Kitsune! You're in my way again!"   
  
"Do'aho. The gym's THAT way."  
  
Hanamichi snorted. "I KNOW that, for crying out loud! I was just looking for you."  
  
"Well, you found me. Let's go."  
  
Together they headed for the gym, keeping a fair distance between them. Both wondered what kind of 'special practice' Maléna had in store for the club.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
However, when they got to the gym, it was empty. The ony person inside was Maléna. She was dressed in black leggings, trainers and a grey sweatshirt, patiently twirling a basketball and humming a tune.   
  
She turned to smile at them as they walked in, the smile growing wider at the confused expressions on their faces.  
  
"That's weird," Hanamichi speculated. "Usually, everyone'd be here by now."  
  
Rukawa's eyes narrowed slightly. "What's going on?" he quietly asked, eyeing Maléna cautiously.  
  
"This is the special practice session, Rukawa," she replied. "It's between you, me, and Hanamichi."  
  
"WHAT?!" Hanamichi practically roared. "You want me and the Kitsune to practice together, with no one else around except you?!"  
  
"That's the plan."   
  
Rukawa glared at Hanamichi, who glared back at him. Both felt the urge to pound each other. One's presence annoyed the hell out of the other and being in the gym with nobody else save Maléna was going to be torture.   
  
'Not a good idea. They'll both be going at each other's throats faster than you can say Goodwill Games,' a voice inside Maléna protested. She steeled herself. No, this was for their own good. She could handle them.  
  
"Five minutes to change out of your school uniforms. NOW," she ordered, bouncing the ball for emphasis.   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
When they came out of the locker room, Maléna instructed them to face one another. They were two feet away from each other, and already their battle auras were starting to glow.  
  
"Take three steps backwards," Maléna called out. They complied, never taking their eyes off the other in a glaring contest that would have already made a world record.  
  
She handed the ball to Hanamichi. "Now, I want you to pass the ball to Rukawa," she said, ignoring the look of outrage that registered on Hanamichi's face.  
  
The pass was sudden and rough, with too much force put into it. Any ordinary player would have been knocked off his feet. Rukawa staggered back a little, glowering at Hanamichi.  
  
"Do'aho..."  
  
"Why you ~"  
  
Maléna held up a hand. "Remember, I said no fighting during practice. Hanamichi, you passed the ball before I could even finish my instructions. I want you to TOSS it, NOT throw it."  
  
Turning to a stone-faced Rukawa, she addressed the dark-haired boy with a nod. "Pass the ball back to Hanamichi the way I specified."  
  
"That's not very fair."  
  
An exasperated sigh from Maléna indicated that she was fast losing her patience. He tossed the ball back to the red-head across him, still keeping their gazes locked. The toss was too high and the ball conked Hanamichi on the head before bouncing harmlessly off to the other side of the court.  
  
"Grrrrr...you stupid Kitsune!" an sd-Hanamichi growled, rubbing his head.   
  
"Idiot...you're supposed to catch it," retorted sd-Rukawa.  
  
Maléna rolled her eyes. These boys were even more immature than the preschoolers she babysat! Heaven forbid if the other ace players of Shohoku were like them...   
  
"Can't the both of you be civil towards each other, even for a moment? I'm not going to dismiss you if you keep this up," she warned them, walking over to retrieve the ball.  
  
The boys popped out of their sd forms, STILL glaring at each other. However, when Maléna handed the ball back to Rukawa, he passed it right away to Hanamichi, who caught it and passed it back to him.  
  
'Finally, we're getting somewhere,' Maléna thought, relieved.  
  
2 HOURS LATER...  
  
"Okay, don't go for the shot. Just pass the ball when you reach the end of the court and then run back to the other side, passing all the way."   
  
"Ma...lé...na...?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How long...are you going...to keep this up?" Hanamichi gasped out, gulping in deep breaths of air.   
  
"As long as I feel like it," came the steady reply.  
  
Sakuragi Hanamichi groaned. "Oh. God."   
  
Both boys were now panting hard from exertion, drenched and looking fatigued. They had long taken off their shirts, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on their bodies. (A.N: OMG! Rukawa goes SHIRTLESS! ::drool::)  
  
Maléna was not kidding when she had said she ran things differently from her grandfather. The more time she spent with the team, the more they thought of her as a drill sergeant than as a coach. She ran them ragged every morning and afternoon, even on weekends.   
  
Rukawa stole a glance at her, wondering when she would praise him for his efforts. His legs were already wobbling and on the verge of giving out, but he didn't want to back down from her. If she was going to challenge him this way, he'd show her just how good he was.   
  
The special practice was beginning to pay off. Both Rukawa and Hanamichi were too busy passing the ball to even try and hurl insults at each other. For the past two hours they had been working on different techniques in passing and 'war' was avoided.   
  
Exhaustion was beginning to set in, but neither boy wanted to yield to it. Maléna had to hand it to them for their determination and dedication. Most of the other players she had worked with in the past complained after only an hour of training and some even made up excuses to skip practice, taking their potential for granted.  
  
They set off at her signal, passing the ball to each other. She could already picture a winning play in her head as she observed their progress. For a time, only the sound of sneakers thumping across the gym's floor could be heard as Rukawa and Hanamichi continued to run from one side of the court to the other, passing the orange ball back and forth.  
  
"That's it, keep going," Maléna encouraged, stopping short when Hanamichi's pass dipped lower than usual. "More effort into it, Hanamichi! Rukawa, don't take your eyes off your teammate!" she ordered, cupping her hands to her mouth to amplify her voice.   
  
They continued to practice, but when she noticed them faltering, she waved her arms to get their attention. "Okay, stop! Stopstopstopstopstop!"  
  
When they did stop, both of them collapsed to the floor, panting hard as sweat continued to seep out of their pores and drip down to the floor in rivulets. Never had they felt the limits of their stamina being pushed over the edge as they did now. It would be a long time before they could get mobile again.   
  
They lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling with wide, unfocused eyes, not even noticing their sweat puddling out onto the floor.  
  
"I don't think...I can stand up..." Hanamichi contemplated, gasping out the words. Rukawa had to agree. But instead of commenting, he closed his eyes, still breathing hard. Neither spoke for a long time until they heard footsteps approaching.  
  
"Look...you can...bitch out at us...for all I care...but I'm...too tired...to move," Hanamichi spoke again, earning amused chuckles from Maléna.  
  
"Normally, bitching out at players is normal, but you forget that I don't do those things. Why don't you lie there for a while and then call me when you're ready to resume practice," she suggested, walking away to retrieve the ball and do walking drills.  
  
Both boys sat bolt upright. "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!" Hanamichi exclaimed, making her laugh.  
  
"I only said that to get you off the floor so I could clean it," she giggled, pointing to a mop that was resting by the side of the door.   
  
"Does this mean that practice is over?" Rukawa asked, wiping his arm across his brow. She nodded and gestured to the shower rooms.   
  
"Clean yourselves up...I'll be waiting."   
  
Slowly, they got up and trudged to the locker rooms with their sweat-drenched shirts draped over their shoulders. Hopefully, they'd be able to get a good sleep tonight. Thank God they were out of hell...  
  
Maléna picked up the mop and started to push it across the floor, hoping that it would serve its purpose and help her sort out the random thoughts drifting in and out of her head. One of them being her relationship with the team.   
  
She hated to admit it, but they were still a little stiff with her when it came to following her instructions. The only ones who clearly gave her their attention were Akagi, Kogure, and Miyagi. She still had some trouble with Mitsui, but he was slowly loosening up to her.   
  
Hanamichi was fast becoming one of the closest to her on the team and Miyagi took the liberty of teasing them to be long-lost siblings. Rukawa, on the other hand was still very stubborn and played quite selfishly, something she did not approve of (which was why she devised the special practice).  
  
However, there was SOMETHING about that aloof boy that she couldn't quite put a finger on. She always noticed him watching her out of the corner of her eye during practices, as if he was trying to read her. What did he want from her anyway? She was doing her best, drilling everyone on the team with punctilious care, including him.   
  
What was wrong with her training? What was he trying to do? She remembered a movie she had seen about a young man who stalked the heroine day by day and night by night, never revealing his real intentions until he had finally cornered her in her house and killed her...   
  
When the camera zoomed in to reveal his face, Maléna dimly remembered screaming her lungs out (and nearly getting kicked out of the cinema house in the process) as two very cold-looking eyes filled the screen. Eyes that were similar to Rukawa's...  
  
Did that mean...?  
  
"Maléna, you're becoming paranoid," she said aloud to no one in particular, then suppressed the urge to laugh out loud at her current state.  
  
"I'm holding a mop and talking to myself...Very funny."   
  
Chuckling, she put the mop back in its proper place before sitting down and taking her hair out of its ponytail, which was already quite loose. Instead of redoing it, she combed a hand through her hair and began braiding it, careful not to tangle up the strands.   
  
When she was done, her hair was now hanging in two braids over her shoulders, looking like twisted strands of mahogany-colored rope. She was about to tuck them in her beret when Hanamichi and Rukawa emerged, looking tired but refreshed from their showers.  
  
Hanamichi still managed to grin as he pointed at Maléna's new hairstyle. "Hey, that looks nice," he said, earning a grateful smile from her.  
  
"Thank you, Hanamichi."  
  
"Only one thing, though...don't put it in that beret, just leave it like that."  
  
Maléna raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so now you're an expert on hair? And why should I leave my hair like this?"  
  
Hanamichi shrugged. "It's just that you look a lot younger...it suits you. I like your hair that way."  
  
Something about what he said struck a chord in her heart and she remembered one other person who said exactly the same thing...   
  
'Neil...'  
  
Rukawa was watching their interaction when he noticed the change in Maléna's expression. She looked so sad and withdrawn, her eyes drooping down and her shoulders sagging slightly. It was as if he was seeing a different side of her all at once. All at once she looked so lifeless, so fragile...so vulnerable.  
  
He took a step forward, stopping when Hanamichi knelt down in front of her, his brow creased with worry. He had noticed as well.  
  
"Maléna? Are you okay?"  
  
At once, she straightened up, the smile back on her face. "I'm okay, Hanamichi. Really," she insisted when the latter put a hand on her forehead.   
  
The taller boy looked doubtful. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. Let's go."   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"You're sure you're okay?"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you that, Hanamichi? I said I'm perfectly fine."  
  
Two guys and a girl make three...three's a crowd...what a cliché. With Maléna in the middle and the two boys on either side, she looked like a celebrity with two hulking bodyguards. Then again, she WAS a celebrity. Only a week in Japan and she had already signed countless autographs, posed for pictures, held a press-conference, and had fifteen interviews.   
  
They were walking downtown, passing numerous stores and occasionally stopping for Maléna to sign an autograph or have her picture taken with another ardent fan who would recognize her instantly.   
  
"Who wouldn't? You're the only girl we know of who stands out literally. With the height and the hair, you can't hide very easily," Hanamichi pointed out when she apologized for the inconveniences.  
  
She laughed. "Quite true. Which is why I sometimes wish I were petite and not playing basketball," she replied, before squatting down to sign a little girl's handkerchief and ruffling her dark curls. The little tyke looked up at both Hanamichi and Rukawa, then giggled.   
  
"Maléna-neechan? Ith the carrot-top your brother? Ith Kitthune-niichan your boyfriend?" she lisped, drawing curious stares from the other passers-by. Maléna shook her head.  
  
"Iie, little one...They're very good friends of mine. And they're very good basketball players, too," she said, winking at her friends.   
  
The little girl nodded and tugged at her mother's hand. "Okaachan, I wanna be like Maléna-neechan when I grow up. I'll be a bathketball player jutht like her...But I know I won't be ath good ath her," she added wistfully.   
  
Maléna planted a kiss on her forehead and smiled. "Oi, you can't be as good as me, dear...you can be better than me. Take my word for it, the world doesn't need another me. It needs one you. Okay?"  
  
"Sugoi! Domo arigatou, Maléna-neechan! I'll practithe a lot n' thleep a lot n' eat a lot!" she beamed, clutching her precious handkerchief which now bore her idol's signature.   
  
Her mother nodded gratefully and gently picked up her daughter, weaving through the crowd with her little one looking over her shoulder and waving to Maléna.   
  
When mother and daughter disappeared, she stood up, supressing a laugh at Hanamichi's expression. "Carrot-top? The kid called me a CARROT-TOP?!"  
  
"Do'aho...with that hair of yours, she can call you anything," Rukawa remarked, successfully squelching the alien feeling running riot inside him when the kid had commented about his relationship with Maléna. 'Her BOYFRIEND...the kid actually thought I was...'  
  
His thoughts came to a halt when a sound from Maléna jolted him back to the present. She reached over to whack Hanamichi playfully on the head albeit unsuccessfully as the so-called tensai only swiped her hand away before tugging at one of her braids again.  
  
"Ow! Quit pulling my hair, you big oaf!"  
  
"Well, you had no right to agree with the kid!"  
  
"Hah! She was telling the truth about your hair!"  
  
"Speak for yourself, Ms. My-Hair's-So-Red-It's-Actually-On-Fire! You oughtta hear yourself talk! Nyahahaha~"  
  
A resounding smack later, the three teenagers continued walking downtown with Hanamichi occasionally tugging Maléna's braids from behind and receiving another playful punch on his shoulder from the half-irate, half-amused girl.   
  
All throughout, Rukawa remained his usual quiet self, fighting another bout of narcolepsy as the crowds parted to make room for them. Part of him wished the do'aho would do what the crowds were doing and part ways with them and go home, but with the way he was getting all chummy with Maléna, Rukawa knew it was impossible.  
  
They stopped for food at a local café that reminded Maléna of Los Angeles with its Hollywood posters and graffiti decorating the interior as well as the exterior. The bell located above the door tinkled a bit when they strode in, and they immediately sat down at a table by the glass pane that separated them from the outside world. The ambiance proved to be a welcome change from the hustle and bustle outside, and they immediately relaxed, poring over the menus handed by the waitress.   
  
After a considerable amount of time, Hanamichi coughed lightly, looking quite stumped. "Uh...I really don't know what to order...I'll have anything you're having," he added, nodding towards Maléna.   
  
She smiled and turned to the waitress. "I think I'll treat my friends to something Mexican. To fire them up, we'll have fajitas, beef tacos, chicken quesadillas, nachos, and spicy burritos. For dessert, churros. Don't forget to spice up the salsa a notch." (A.N: All that Mexican food...::drool::)  
  
The waitress nodded, trying to contain her excitement at the thought that she was actually taking down Maléna Hernandez's order. "Very good, ma'am...and your drinks?"  
  
"A pitcher of ice tea will do quite nicely. No ice in my glass. Oh, and I'll have some salad. Thanks a lot."  
  
As soon as the waitress left, Maléna turned back to Hanamichi and grinned. "How's that for food?"  
  
Hanamichi only nodded mutely and Rukawa shrugged, stifling another huge yawn. He fumbled a bit, fishing around his pocket for some money to pay his portion of the bill, the movement failing to escape Maléna's quick eyes. She placed a hand on his shoulder, while withdrawing a wallet from her bag with the other, restraining him. "My treat."  
  
Maléna hadn't noticed how Rukawa had looked at her afterwards, as she was pestered by a curious Hanamichi into showing him the contents of her wallet.   
  
"Oi, who're these guys?" Hanamichi asked, pointing to three young men in one of Maléna's photos standing arm in arm. The youngest-looking one was mugging at the camera while his companions were smiling, looking more formal than he did.  
  
"The one with glasses is my eldest brother, Kennichi. He's studying to become a doctor at Harvard Med School. He's engaged to be married as soon as he graduates next year. The one in the long-sleeved shirt is my second oldest brother, Joaquin Luis. He's a freshman, studying Computer Science at Columbia University. I'm next to him. The one goofing around is my youngest brother, Neil Isaac..."  
  
She prayed that Hanamichi wouldn't ask about her youngest brother, knowing that she wouldn't be able to talk about him without breaking down. It had been three months since the nightmare, yet, she could not forget what had happened. Her grades had slipped from straight A's to B's and she was slowly losing the fire she felt to play basketball.  
  
Which was why her grandfather thought it would be best that she spend time in her mother's birthplace, just so she could recover from what had shattered her so. When she left to come to Japan, everyone in the family hoped she would find peace and perhaps emerge stronger, that she would be able to battle with her inner demons and overcome her guilt and the grief that tore at her very soul.  
  
Thankfully, Hanamichi decided not to pursue the matter any further as their food had arrived, reminding him of how hungry he really was. The food proved to be satisfying, as Hanamichi continued to wolf down plate after plate of food to his heart's content.   
  
"I don't understand...*chew*...how everybody else...*munch*...recognizes you...but...*glug*...we've never even...*gulp*...heard of you," he commented around a mouthful of food, brandishing his spoon at her to emphasize his statement. She gave a half-shrug, daintily nibbling on her salad.   
  
"Perhaps Grandfather thought it was best you didn't know about me until later. Or, you don't watch enough ESPN..."  
  
Hanamichi took a bite off his burrito and quickly swallowed. "Nah...can't afford cable. Gori's too busy studying at home to watch any TV, Ayako takes up most of Ryochin's time, Glasses-boy doesn't look like the type to watch TV, and Mitchy's too busy arguing with his parents at home to bother."   
  
"And I'm sure the Kitsune here is too stupid to figure out how a remote control works," he quickly added, taking another slug of his ice tea.  
  
"Do'aho...I don't own a TV set," Rukawa retorted before shoveling a forkful of fajitas into his mouth.  
  
Just then, another bowl of salsa arrived, along with extra spicy nachos. Before Maléna could even warn him, Hanamichi took the entire bowl of salsa and gulped it down. Seconds later, he let out a scream that could easily wake up the dead.  
  
"EEEEEEYAAAAAGGGGHHHH~! It's so HOT! Water! Water!" he cried, grabbing the pitcher of ice tea and downing half of it.   
  
Maléna shook her head and laughed. "You weren't supposed to eat that, Hanamichi. That's what we use as dressing."  
  
"How was I supposed to know?!" he demanded hotly. "You didn't tell me anything!"  
  
"Do'aho...you ate it even before she could warn you."  
  
That remark was rewarded with a swift kick to his shin under the table, courtesy of the red-haired rebounder. He scowled, but decided that a fistfight wouldn't do him any justice, since his body was too tired to do anything else.   
  
Instead, he completely ignored Hanamichi and reached across the table to grab one of the burritos near Maléna, unaware that they were laced with jalapeño peppers. He took a bite, suddenly feeling his eyes tear up. Damn, the food was too spicy to take! Miraculously, he held on even as the waitress came back to refill the almost-empty pitcher.   
  
"Rukawa? Are you alright? You seem a little flushed." Maléna's face was etched with concern as she poured him a tall glass of ice tea.   
  
Gritting his teeth, he tersely replied, "I'm fine." Just how much she craved this food was a puzzle to him. Nobody could possibly live after eating something as spicy.  
  
Tuning in to the conversation, he was surprised when Maléna admitted that she didn't want to be a basketball player all her life and that she was planning to retire as soon as she graduated from highschool.  
  
He found himself asking her why, to which she answered simply, "I'm planning to go to law school..."   
  
Hanamichi's eyes got as round as saucers at this. "NANI? You want to become a...a...LAWYER?!"  
  
Maléna nodded emphatically, her eyes lighting up. She loved talking about her ambitions and her plans for the future. "Been dreaming of becoming a lawyer ever since I was a kid. I figured that playing professional basketball would save me enough money for that," she quipped, letting the implication sink in.  
  
"What does the old man say to that?"  
  
"Well, Grandfather is quite supportive of my decision, as well as my parents. For them, it doesn't matter what I decide for my future. Just as long as I KNOW it's for my own good and it makes me happy, they're with me all the way."  
  
"Won't you regret it?" Rukawa suddenly asked, not understanding how she could easily throw away such a career as hers. Maléna looked at him steadily, her eyes turning a piercing grey that reflected his face. In that moment, he knew he had her answer, but he couldn't tear himself away from her gaze.   
  
"I can't be a basketball player forever, Rukawa. I'm only young once, and I want to be able to do a lot in that span of time. I want to try another career, perhaps devote my time to volunteer work, or brush up on my music, I'm not sure," she finished, giving a careless wave of her hand.   
  
An uncomfortable silence followed, which was interrupted when Hanamichi accidentally choked, trying to swallow a whole taco (A.N: Hanamichi, you GLUTTON!). From there, Maléna was too busy patting Hanamichi between his shoulder blades to continue talking to Rukawa. The sullen boy shook his head. Some things would never change...  
  
Maléna looked up to find Rukawa staring at her and fidgeted a bit. "What? Do I have dirt on my face?" she asked, slightly annoyed at his probing gaze.  
  
"You missed a spot," he simply replied, reaching up to wipe a trace of salsa off the corner of her mouth, his thumb lingering for a moment before pulling away. She blushed and ducked her head to hide her sudden shyness.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Rukawa's sudden action, however, did not go unnnoticed by the other customers inside the café, and they immediately began whispering excitedly among themselves, as Maléna continued to chat with her friends, oblivious to the hubhub around her, or the keen eyes of a young reporter who snapped a photo using a camera hidden in her tote bag before leaving.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
They left the café an hour later after Maléna had paid the bill by flashing a gold credit card and rewarding the waitress with a handsome tip of $50 (A.N: When converted to yen, do you have any idea how much that is?). Hanamichi bid them goodbye before flagging down a taxi to take him home and promising that he would be early for practice, leaving Rukawa to bring Maléna to the train station.  
  
As they walked, he kept glancing over at her, still confused over what she had revealed to them over dinner. How she could say such things, he didn't understand. But there was just SOMETHING about the way her voice had sounded that made him want to believe her.   
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Maléna noticed Rukawa look at her and then seem to space out. This boy was definitely strange. "What are you thinking of?" she asked, tilting her head at him.  
  
He stiffened, his shrug looking more like a twitch in the neck. She decided not to pursue the subject further and instead, looked up at the evening sky, smiling to see millions of stars out that night.  
  
"They're so beautiful, aren't they?" she murmured. He turned to look at her.   
  
"Nani yo?"  
  
Pointing up, she smiled, a little wistfully, as memories flooded her mind. "When I was little, I'd climb up to the roof and just sit there, looking at the sky and wishing I could be one of the stars."   
  
Rukawa just kept looking straight ahead, trying to look as detached as possible, but failing miserably as Maléna continued, "They always seemed so happy up there, I thought maybe if I jumped high enough, I could reach them. I tried, but I nearly got myself killed when I jumped off the roof. Luckily, my nightdress got caught in one of the loose nails of my mother's window..."  
  
She stopped, realizing that she wouldn't be able to strike up a conversation with Rukawa. It was useless. Talking to him was like talking to a wall. She'd be wasting her saliva on him if she continued to talk his head off. Instead, she wrapped her jacket tighter around her and set her mouth in a thin line in an effort to ward off the cold.  
  
When she felt another weight on her shoulders, she snapped out of her reveries, surprised to find Rukawa putting his jacket around her. Her eyes met his in askance, but he merely answered her, "Bundle up. It's cold." They fell into silence, concentrating on their own thoughts. He of the girl beside him, and she of his sudden actions.   
  
When they got to the train station, Maléna immediately handed back Rukawa's jacket, thanking him for the extra warmth before the doors finally closed and the train pulled away.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
As the train faded into the distance, Rukawa looked down at the jacket he clutched in his hands, remembering how narrow Maléna's shoulders were under them. When she returned his jacket, he was a little surprised at her delicate-looking hands, paler than his with candle-shaped fingers that belied the strength of her grip.   
  
Though tall, she moved with easy grace, as if she were dancing on air, unlike some girls who pretended to be graceful, but ended up making a laughingstock of themselves. And he remembered her eyes...deep green orbs that swirled to a flashing grey, depending on her mood. Eyes that were laughing, longing, and hopeful all at once...  
  
There was no doubt about it...he HAD to avoid Maléna Hernandez, or that would be his undoing.  
  
The only problem was he didn't know how...and for some strange reason, couldn't bring himself to do just that...  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	8. Chapter Seven: More Complaints, More Rev...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN - More Complaints, More Revelations  
  
  
  
Weeks of practice turned the stoic players of team Shohoku into rubber, as Maléna continued their intensive training. One evening, after a long practice, Miyagi, Mitsui, and Hanamichi decided they had had enough.  
  
"Agh! I can't take anymore of this shit!" Miyagi groaned, dragging his weary body to the swings.   
  
"Tell me about it," Mitsui remarked, "my muscles are so stiff, I can't move without moaning every second."  
  
Hanamichi remained strangely quiet and the two looked at him. It was as if he were in a trance and Miyagi found himself almost checking for signs of life in his teammate. Instead, he reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"EEEEYAAAAAGGGGHHH! That HURTS!" Hanamichi cried out, cringing as if he had the worst case of sunburn. Miyagi shrank back.  
  
"Muscle pain, Red?" Mitsui asked, rotating his neck and trying to ease his aching muscles.  
  
Hanamichi started off in another tirade that could readily wake up the neighborhood.   
  
"God! I can't believe she would treat a genius such as myself in this manner! I can stand Akagi and his barbaric ways, but this girl's absolutely DEMONIC! Usually, I wake up feeling refreshed, but now I feel like a dead weight in the morning. She's running us ragged! "800 shots plus back-to-one if we miss" a day for ALL of us?! She could be charged with mass murder!"  
  
Miyagi frowned. "She may be like that because of HER training. It may have been more rigorous than ours could ever be, which is why she got to the Goodwill Games and won a gold medal. Give her a break, Hanamichi."  
  
"I have an idea...let's not attend practice tomorrow. I want to get some feeling back in my arms. They're too numb to work," Mitsui suggested, trying to flex his arms for demonstration.  
  
Hanamichi and Miyagi readily agreed with him and they shook hands on it. An irate Akagi changed their minds however, when Ayako told him about the trio's plan to skip practice.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
It turned out that everyone was feeling the stress Maléna was putting on them. Even Kogure turned cranky. Imagine their surprise when Maléna asked them to assemble one Monday afternoon and told them to take the next two days off.   
  
"You've all been practicing hard for the past few weeks, I think this is enough. For the next two days, I want you guys to relax. See a movie, go out with friends, read a good book, pig out, or whatever. Don't think about your upcoming game with Ryonan. I want you all to have a good time and enjoy your game as well. And now, get lost, I'm about to lock the place up!"  
  
Hanamichi whooped with joy, then groaned when an ache in his back caught his attention. "Owwwww..."  
  
The team shuffled out, except for Rukawa, Akagi, Kogure, and Ayako.  
  
"Are you sure that was a good idea, Coach?" Kogure asked, "The boys may forget how to move when the game comes up."  
  
"Call me Maléna, Kogure. And relax, okay? If they are dead set on winning the game against Ryonan, they would all still practice, without my supervision. A coach shouldn't always boss the players around. They have to be self-propelled if they want to excel at their sport," Maléna smiled, walking back to her chair to fix her things.  
  
"But Maléna, what if they don't want to practice by themselves?" Ayako asked.  
  
"They're old enough, they'll figure it out. You may have beaten Ryonan, but if you put two and two together, they would have learned from their mistakes and practiced more ever since their defeat. Another thing this team lacks is foresight," she finished, slinging her duffel bag over her shoulder.  
  
"Our players have foresight," Akagi argued. "They train and train in order to win."  
  
Maléna nodded patiently. "Yes, they do, Akagi. But what happens if ever we lose? Will they have the humility to accept it, or will they go off sulking? You can't be here forever to give them pep talks. You'll be graduating in a year along with Kogure and Mitsui and that might leave them with no hope. If they can learn by themselves, and as a team, they have nothing to lose."  
  
Rukawa stood off in a corner, not wanting to barge in on their conversation. He didn't hear what they were saying, but he didn't care. He wanted to know more about Anzai's granddaughter without them interfering. His ears perked up when he heard Maléna bid Akagi and the others good night.  
  
"...Akagi, I trust you will always be strong for your teammates. They need you and your presence. As for me, I'm just a substitute coach. I have no real place except to give advice. Good night to all of you," Maléna said, giving Akagi a gentle pat on the arm.   
  
Nodding his goodbye, Akagi headed out, waiting for Kogure and Ayako.   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
As soon as they were gone out, Maléna sighed. No doubt the team was mad at her for the way she had trained them. 'But their stiffness will be gone in the morning,' she smiled, knowing that a good night's rest was all they needed. While watching the others leave, Rukawa found himself becoming engrossed in the way Maléna smiled, especially when the tiny dimple appeared on her right cheek. He was, in fact, so engrossed, that the ball he was holding simply fell out of his hands and bounced on the floor, making her jump slightly.  
  
She was hardly aware the source of the noise had come in his direction and she turned to him and smiled, the moonbeams becoming entangled in her hair.   
  
"Rukawa...I didn't notice you were still here. Why don't you change back and maybe you can help me lock up," she suggested, jolting him out of his reverie.  
  
"Uh...hai..." he mumbled, turning to the locker room. 'Damn...I can't think straight!'   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
After a quick shower, Rukawa emerged, wearing his team jacket and black jogging pants and sneakers. He looked around and saw Maléna sitting in her chair, her eyebrows furrowed as she studied the blue notebook on her lap. He concluded she was studying a book of basketball plays when she traced patterns on the notebook pages, her eyebrows knitted in deep concentration.  
  
She didn't even notice that he had approached her slowly, until he was standing right over her. When she looked up, he felt that he would drown in the depths of her eyes, the way they glittered in the harsh light of the gym. Her lips spread into a slow smile and she stood up, stuffing the notebook neatly into her duffel bag.   
  
"Took you long enough, Rukawa," she teased. "As a consequence, you'll have to help me lock the place up."  
  
He nodded, and together, they locked up the gym.  
  
  
~*~*~   
  
  
"So, are you having any problems so far, Rukawa?"  
  
"No, I'm okay with school."   
  
Both teenagers had stopped to eat at a nearby fastfood chain and were sitting in the comfort of a booth, chatting over coffee and BLTs. Maléna shook her head.   
  
"No, no, no. I meant with the way I've been training you guys. I can't help but think I'm being harsh on you," she corrected him, looking rather guilty.  
  
He shrugged, picking at the remains of his food. The girl seated across him took his answer for a yes and sighed. "Okay, if that's how you honestly feel...I guess I should tell Grandfather that you sorely miss him and you want him back."  
  
"No, it's nothing like that," Rukawa hastily replied, surprising himself.   
  
Maléna looked at him with an expresssion that was half-way sardonic. "Oh?" she asked, arching one delicately shaped eyebrow. "What is it then? Is that somehow connected to the reason why you've been avoiding me lately?"  
  
He couldn't open his mouth to speak. His jaw was rusted shut like the Tin Woodman from The Wizard of Oz. All he could do was shrug impatiently. She saw his sudden discomfort and decided not to bait him further.  
  
"Forget it, let's not talk about our relationship as Coach-to-Player. Let's talk about ourselves as normal high school students. Like, for instance, the so-called animosity between you and Hanamichi that Grandfather has been telling me about," she suggested teasingly.  
  
"Coach Anzai told you about us?"  
  
"Well, I'm his favorite grandchild and we run up HUGE phone bills just talking about anything. One day, he told me that the team had a new recruit who resembled me and that he had a special affection for this boy because he reminded him of me and how headstrong I was when I was a kid," she explained.   
  
Rukawa looked mildly disbelieving. "You look nothing like that red-haired do'aho."  
  
Raising an eyebrow, she took a sip of her coffee before asking, "Oh? Who do I look like then? Grandfather?"  
  
The corners of his lips quirked up in the semblance of a smile. "Hard to imagine you looking like Sensei when you become old."  
  
"Right, right. But you should see his pictures when he was our age. He looked quite handsome, and he played well. He was the one who taught me about basketball when I had wanted to get into the sport."  
  
"You love him, don't you?"  
  
Her face softened and she looked down at her coffee. "Yeah, very much. I don't know what I'd do without him. That's why when I heard from Grandma that he had broken down, I cried for a whole day and I couldn't eat just thinking about him."  
  
"How did you get drafted as a professional player?" Rukawa asked, curious on how she was able to bag a coveted position.  
  
"It was the first game in the nationals and I really wasn't aware of the scouts in the audience. All I knew was that I wanted to play the game and I wanted to - you won't believe this - impress my long-time crush who was watching us play. Afterwards, some guys approached me and offered me a scholarship plus a position on Team USA if I could prove that I was good enough."  
  
"And you accepted it?"  
  
"Against my own free will. Times were hard for my family then. My older brothers were starting college and my parents were having a hard time earning a living and paying their tuition. I HAD to get in the team so I could help lessen their burden by shouldering some of my brothers' expenses. I had a really big salary, so I was able to help."   
  
Maléna leaned back in her seat and looked outside. It had been a struggle for her and her family. Her father had migrated to the U.S and could hardly speak a word of English before he met her mother. Miguel had worked hard, doing odd jobs to help pay for his lodging and at the same time, go to school to learn English.   
  
Once he graduated from high school, he worked more to put up a restaurant that he ran by himself. He also taught flamenco, in order to pay for the loan on the restaurant. Maléna's mother was one of his students. Akiko was on vacation when she had decided to sign up to learn the one dance that had enchanted her with its fast pacing and she immediately fell in love with the gentle instructor.   
  
Coach Anzai gave his approval and within a year, they were married. The family set off to build a life in Los Angeles, where she and her brothers later made their first appearances. Coach Anzai frequently visited them with his wife, always enjoying the company of their grandchildren and always telling their friends how proud they were of their four grandchildren, especially Maléna.   
  
When they learned that she had been accepted as a starter for Team USA, they immediately flew over to cheer her on in every game. She loved her grandfather, and she dedicated every medal she won to him. There was never a time when she did not worry about his health, and she constantly warned him to be careful that nothing would happen to him.  
  
"What was your first impression of me, Rukawa?" she suddenly asked, turning her attention to the strange boy in front of her. He always had a rather expressionless face, and she couldn't understand how much he lacked emotion in his voice.  
  
"I thought you'd be like that do'aho...hot-tempered, brash, and too damn annoying for words. But..." he trailed off, stopping to finish his coffee.  
  
She prodded him, amused at his straightforwardness. "Yes?"  
  
He didn't answer her question, but looked straight into her eyes for what seemed like eternity, but in reality, could have lasted about three to five seconds. And in that span of time, she knew she had found her answer.  
  
Lowering her eyes, she murmured a soft 'thank you' and continued to sip her coffee, as life went on at a more frantic pace outside the glass pane.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	9. Chapter Eight: Ryonan vs ShohokuSendoh F...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT - Ryonan vs. Shohoku...Sendoh Falls Hard  
  
  
  
"Ayako, are you sure about this?"  
  
"Of COURSE I am. Remember, Ryota, I'm a woman. I'm supposed to KNOW these things."  
  
"But...but...well, it's just too hard to imagine that cold-blooded Rukawa falling for someone," Miyagi sputtered, trying to picture his said teammate wooing their young coach with flowers and serenades. The picture gave him goosebumps and he shuddered.  
  
Ayako ignored his comment. She had asked Miyagi to help her match them up. All he had to do was talk to Maléna, while she took care of Rukawa, both playing Cupid and letting love take its natural course between the two. Rubbing her hands in anticipation, she started pacing around, planning her strategy carefully.  
  
"Uh...Ayako...I don't think I like the gleam in your eyes."  
  
"Quiet, I'm trying to think. I've got to match them up good."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of."   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Team Shohoku arrived before their game was about to start. They had a good thirty minutes to prepare. Across them, Ryonan was also getting ready, throwing them occasional glances.   
  
Kogure looked around. "Where's Coach? I feel a little uneasy now. She ought to be here."  
  
"She's here, Kogure."  
  
All heads turned to see Maléna enter. Several men in the audience yelled, "Agh! The red monk of Shohoku has a sister!"  
  
One man leaned over the railing and hollered to get Maléna's attention, giving her curves lecherous looks. "Hey, Hot Stuff! Come up here and let me show you a good time!"  
  
"You keep your comments to yourself or I'll tear your eyes out for you!" Hanamichi yelled menacingly, drawing himself to his full height.  
  
Rukawa's hands balled into fists, and he suddenly felt the urge to torture that spectator slowly and painfully. The rest of Team Shohoku sent glares at the man and he immediately quieted down, picking up on their hostile waves.  
  
Uozumi looked over at their rival school's team, wondering what all the noise was about. He couldn't see Maléna, so he turned back to his teammates. "Oi, any of you know what's going on?"  
  
Sendoh shrugged, looking at their long-time rivals. "I don't know, but they seem to be really fierce today."  
  
Just then, the members of Team Shohoku parted to reveal a tall girl more beautiful than any other that Sendoh had ever laid eyes on. He gasped, drawing looks from his teammates.   
  
"Sendoh? Are you okay?" Koshino asked. His friend did not answer and he turned his eyes in the direction of Sendoh's gaze. He gasped as well. 'That must be Coach Anzai's granddaughter,' he thought, gawking at Maléna's height and the drop-dead gorgeous looks that were uniquely her own.   
  
Coach Taoka looked up from his playbook and nearly jumped. What was that red-haired girl doing on the sidelines with Shohoku? And where was Anzai? All questions flew out of his head when he overheard two officials talking.   
  
"You see that red-haired girl with Shohoku? That's Maléna Hernandez, Mr. Anzai's granddaughter. She came all the way from America to coach Shohoku while Anzai went to visit his friend in Hawaii."  
  
"Really? I heard she's the youngest member on Team USA and she helped them win the gold medal during the Junior Goodwill Games. I can't believe she's only 16 and already a professional!"  
  
"You ain't heard nothing yet. She's also a pretty formidable coach. She got injured in a game and she coached her team through the nationals, winning them the championship."  
  
"God, she's THAT good?! No wonder Mr. Anzai's so proud of her! Last I heard, the WNBA was recruiting her, but she turned them down so she could fly over here and help Shohoku."  
  
Taoka averted his gaze to Maléna, sizing up the young 'coach'. 'So this is Anzai's gaijin grandchild...The boys will have to watch out for Shohoku now. I can't allow them to beat my team because of some half-breed American!' He had never heard of Maléna before, and he was eager to find out just how good she was said to be at coaching the game.  
  
Turning his attention back to his boys, he barked out his instructions. "Uozumi, watch Akagi. Fukuda, as usual, go in on Sakuragi. Uekusa, you take down Miyagi. Koshino, you're guarding Mitsui. Sendoh, you bring down Rukawa. Sendoh? SENDOH!"  
  
Ryonan's all-around player jumped. "Uh...hai, sensei. Guard Rukawa, right? No problem." Koshino looked at him warily. Sendoh's eyes had a glazed look in them and he looked distracted. This was not a good sign. Usually, he was ready for the game, and he always looked unstoppable.   
  
"She's gorgeous," Sendoh breathed, never taking his eyes off Maléna, who was helping Akagi and the rest warm up, pausing every now and then to give them final polishing techniques. She looked over at him for a brief moment and then turned her attention back to Akagi.  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Koshino whistled low. "Don't let her get to you, Sendoh. We have to beat our rivals."  
  
Sendoh continued to stare, oblivious of Koshino's warning. "She looked at me, Koshino. Did you see that? She actually looked at me."   
  
Uozumi loomed over Sendoh and turned to look at what he was staring at. A flash of red caught his eye, and the next thing he knew, he was looking across the court at a tall girl wearing a forest-green blouse, beige feminine-cut slacks and brown flats with red hair framing her face. The look on his face changed from one of curiosity to genuine horror.  
  
'ACK! Sakuragi turned into a girl?! No wait...the kid's over there. All of a sudden more redheads are appearing! This is a nightmare!'   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
The teams of Kainan and Shoyo came to watch the game between Shohoku and Ryonan. Both wanted to watch out for any new plays the rivals had up their sleeves.   
  
"Boy, this is gonna be a swell game! Right, Maki?" Kiyota grinned, trying to get himself comfortable. Maki grunted in reply, scanning the court. His eyes spotted a tall girl with Shohoku, giving them last minute pointers. She had her back to him, but there was something awefully familiar about her.   
  
She slowly turned around, lifting her right arm to point at the court while directing Rukawa. He saw the same girl dressed in a basketball uniform doing the same gestures in his mind's eye, and in a flash, he recognized her. "It can't be! It's impossible!"  
  
Kiyota turned to their team captain, wondering what all the fuss was about. "What? What's impossible, Maki?" he demanded, seeing Maki's eyes slowly widen.  
  
"It can't be her! It just can't be her!"  
  
"Who? Tell me already!" Kiyota wailed, scanning the court for the person who elicited such a reaction from Maki.   
  
"It's Maléna..." Maki murmured in awed tones.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Maléna Hernandez...the youngest player for Team USA, women's basketball. She won MVP and they bagged the gold medal at the Junior Goodwill Games. I've seen her play on television and she's considered one of the best in the world. She makes crossovers look nothing more than an easy walk and the way she shoots...man, you should SEE the way she plays!"  
  
"Well, where IS she? Where is this Maléna you're telling us about, who's supposedly good?" Takasago asked, leaning in to get a better view.   
  
Maki pointed wordlessly to Shohoku's side of the court, where Maléna was standing up with the Shohoku players seated around her on the floor, listening intently to every word she was saying and nodding occasionally. "That's her," he answered. "I've been wanting to meet her for a long time and maybe learn more tricks from her. And now, she's finally here! This is a dream!"  
  
"I guess so," Jin commented, then asked, "But why is she with Shohoku?"  
  
Coach Takatoh, who was seated next to Jin, answered the question. "That girl is Coach Anzai's granddaughter."  
  
"GRANDDAUGHTER?!" Team Kainan chorused.   
  
Takatoh nodded. "I spoke with Anzai before he left for Hawaii to visit an old friend of his. He told me that his granddaughter would be flying over from America to replace him for a while. I didn't know which one he was talking about until he told me it was going to be his beloved Maléna."  
  
"If that is so, then Ryonan had better watch out. She's as good a coach as she is a player," Maki remarked, his eyes narrowing with anticipation. 'And after the game, you can finally get her autograph,' a small voice told him.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"Captain, there seems to be a commotion down there now. It seems that Shohoku is causing it. Is there something wrong," Hanagata queried, looking over at Fujima.   
  
The team captain of Shoyo didn't answer. He was too busy frowning down at the tall girl talking to Akagi, sensing that there was something quite familiar about her from the way she moved to her carriage.  
  
Then, it hit him. She was the most famous woman in basketball at present! The youngest ever to get a coveted position on Team USA and then later on winning MVP and the gold medal at the Junior Goodwill Games. Playing Forward for Team USA, standing at a height of 6'2" at only 16 years old...   
  
"Maléna Hernandez..."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"All right, everyone gather around and hold hands," Maléna instructed. Rukawa made sure that he was beside her so he could hold her hand and get the strength he knew he needed. Maléna briefly crossed herself and then prayed...   
  
"Dear God, please help these guys to remain in control of their game today and in every succeeding game. Grant that this will teach them to act as one, not only on the hardcourt, but in life as well. May You look down on them today as they battle it out against Ryonan, and may You help them win this game as well as those that still await them...Amen."  
  
She crossed herself again, ignoring the look Mitsui gave her. "Okay, go out there and make Grandfather proud!"   
  
As they walked out on court, Miyagi sidled up to Mitsui and grinned. "I guess you're not the only superstitious one on the team now, Mitsui."  
  
"Oh for crying out loud, she's a Catholic! What else would you expect? And besides, Americans are known to do that when they play."  
  
Ryota sighed, dramatically rolling his eyes. "Thank you for the history, Mitchy."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Silence swept through the crowds as both teams assembled for the jump ball. Out of the corner of his eyes, Rukawa noticed Maléna looking the blue notebook beside her that he had seen her study days before. She had not shown it to any of them, but he was already 100% sure that the notebook contained the plays she had devised.   
  
He wondered if they would need any for this game, but knowing that she had full confidence in them, he decided that the best thing to do was not to destroy her trust. Right now though, she looked remarkably composed, even serene, as the referee tossed the ball for Akagi and Uozumi.  
  
A deafening roar was heard throughout as Ryonan took possession of the ball. Mitsui quickly stole it, passing it to Miyagi and yelling for the others to take offense. Using one of Maléna's distraction techniques, Miyagi successfully distracted Uekusa before passing the ball to Akagi, who went in for a dunk.   
  
"Yes! Two points for Shohoku! Nice work guys!" Ayako cried, jumping up from her seat to cheer. Maléna merely nodded, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she surveyed the game. 'Too early to get heated up, people...calm down and take it easy...'  
  
Fukuda had possession of the ball and was about to shoot when Hanamichi tapped the ball out of his grasp and passed it to Mitsui. "Mitchy! Make a three-pointer!"  
  
The handsome outside shooter of Shohoku aimed, jumped and then released the ball, remembering how much he had trained with Maléna's help. "It's in! It's in!" he chanted, before the ball swished through the net. The crowd went wild. The score was now 5-0, in favor of Shohoku.  
  
Taoka looked grim, almost unable to hear Aida Hikoichi's comments on Shohoku's improvements. "Unbelievable! The magic five of Shohoku has gotten better! It must be the aura of that redhead girl on their side of the court! Who is she, Sensei? I MUST get information on her!"  
  
"Anzai's gaijin granddaughter...that half-breed!" he spat out bitterly, angry that she had to show up when he had ran his boys ragged and she still looked calm, like Anzai.  
  
Hikoichi could hardly believe his ears. "Really?! Incredible! I never knew Anzai-sensei had a granddaughter! And is she ever tall! She must be as tall as Mitsui, perhaps a little taller...What a woman!" He whipped out his trusty pen and notebook and began furiously jotting down notes as the game continued.   
  
"She's not yet a woman, Hikoichi. She's roughly your age and is rumored to be an excellent player. Anzai once told me how she mopped three boys over by herself. But that's not the point! The point is: She shouldn't be here!"  
  
He turned his attention back to the game, catching Sendoh making eyes at Maléna and forgetting to guard Rukawa who went for a lay-up. "Sendoh! Get your head back in the game!"  
  
Whirling around to his coach, Sendoh nodded. 'Damn! Concentrate on the game, will you!" he scolded himself, stealing another glance at Maléna, who promptly ignored him.   
  
Shaking his head, Taoka tried to console himself. 'Easy on it, Taoka. It's only the first quarter. You can easily catch up with that youngster...your boys have been training exceptionally hard. There's no reason for them not to win.'  
  
But as the seconds ticked by, Ryonan was having difficulty catching up with their rival, and by the end of the first half, they were trailing by seven points. Shohoku was still in the lead with thirty points, a far cry from their past games with Ryonan. Taoka had no choice but to call a time-out.  
  
"What is wrong with you?!" he demanded as soon as they assembled around him. Hikoichi silently handed them towels and water, as Taoka turned around to glare at Uozumi. "You're not defending them well! What happened to all the practices we had? I thought we promised that we would beat them!"  
  
Koshino glared accusingly at Sendoh. "It seems that our all-around player isn't doing so well, what with trying to get the attention of Shohoku's young coach!"  
  
"Sendoh, if you think that impressing Anzai's half-breed grandchild will win you the game, think again! Just because she is attractive in your eyes does not mean you will lose focus!" Taoka practically yelled in Sendoh's ear. Sendoh nodded, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.  
  
"I know, Sensei. I know..."  
  
"Well, if you know THAT much, keep your head on the game, not on some girl!"  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"Can you believe it? We're leading by SEVEN POINTS," Kogure declared, a little dazed at their performance. The rest of the players grinned ear-to-ear, confident that they would be able to beat Ryonan today.   
  
Maléna frowned a little, motioning for them to move closer to her. "It's too early to rejoice. I can hear Taoka screaming at his boys to get into shape, so I have a feeling they'll catch up on us. Remember what I told you: 'Your score should motivate you to play better', not to slacken or discourage you."   
  
"Don't be overconfident. Kainan and Shoyo are watching us and I know they will use our tactics against us when it's their turn to face us," she cautioned, raising her eyes to the bleachers, where she could see the said teams watching them intently.  
  
They all nodded in reply, taking in what she was telling them. They had to be on their guard now and any sign of slackening would destroy the momentum.  
  
"Okay team! Win this for Shohoku and for ourselves!" Akagi yelled, raising a fist up high.  
  
"LET'S GO!!!" they chorused, heading out again onto the court to win.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
As they headed out onto the court, Ayako leaned in to Maléna to whisper something she had witnessed during the first half. "Oi, I think you have an admirer from Ryonan High, Maléna."   
  
Maléna turned to her, eyebrow raised. The smaller girl grinned. "It seems to me that you just bagged Akira Sendoh, the best looking player on their team. He's been making doe eyes at you since the start of the game!"  
  
"So I've noticed," Maléna remarked dryly, wanting to laugh. "I think it's my hair," she concluded, making Ayako shake with suppressed laughter.   
  
"Probably thinks you're cute when your head's on fire."  
  
She smirked. "Yeah, well...we'll see about that after we've knocked 'em dead."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	10. Chapter Nine: A Victory and A New Challe...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER NINE - A Victory and A New Challenge  
  
  
  
Ryonan's efforts to catch up were all but easy. Five minutes before the game was about to end, they were still behind by five points, Sendoh somehow managing to get his concentration back on the game.  
  
Everyone was surprised that Hanamichi wasn't as hot-tempered as he used to be, even passing balls to Rukawa, when he never even wanted to pass anything to him before.   
  
The sense of rivalry between them was not as fierce as before, Hanamichi having been groomed into an even better player in only three weeks. Rukawa seemed to have forgotten about his fights with Hanamichi as well, passing the ball to him whenever he was wide open for the shot.  
  
Somebody in the bleachers pointed to them and cried out, "Look! It's the new Dynamic Duo of Shohoku! No one's stopping the bad boys now!"   
  
That started the crowd cheering even louder. Hanamichi's friends started chanting, "BAD BOYS, BAD BOYS, BAD BOYS GO!" much to the amusement of Maléna.  
  
"Rukawa! Shoot!" Hanamichi yelled, passing the ball to the dark-haired boy from half-court. Ryonan had miraculously caught up with them at 62-65, with five seconds remaining. Rukawa caught the ball and took aim...  
  
SWISH!  
  
The ball went through the net without grazing the hoop, just as the buzzer sounded. The entire gymnasium echoed with the deafening yells of the crowd, as Ayako reached over to hug Maléna.  
  
"Congratulations, girlfriend," she murmured. "You've just coached your first winning game."  
  
"And it's not over yet," Maléna answered, wishing her grandfather could have been with her to watch the game and see how much better Shohoku was as a team.  
  
Taoka's fists clenched together as he checked the scoreboard. This couldn't happen to him, not now. No youngster could beat him - no female youngster for that matter - at coaching. His tactics had been well-planned and he couldn't see how she could have outwitted him.  
  
Koshino groaned. "I can't believe we lost again! At least the other games weren't quite so bad, but this is humiliating!"  
  
Putting a hand on his shoulder, Uozumi shook his head. "It was bound to happen, Koshino. Let's just do better next time. Now, we must be good sports and shake the winners' hands."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Maléna was already outside the gym, walking to the curb to get a taxi when she was suddenly enveloped by different pairs of arms hugging her and reaching out to tousle her hair and shake her hand.  
  
"You were great, Maléna!" Mitsui yelled, hugging her fiercely.   
  
"Oh yeah, we sure showed them!" Miyagi heartily agreed, slapping her a high five before pumping her hand vigorously.   
  
The auburn-haired girl laughed, loving their exuberance and their easy-going nature.   
  
Rukawa came up and shyly reached for her hand, surprised when she embraced him instead. He slowly put his arms around her, breathing into the smell of mountain herbs and jasmine that emanated from her hair, combined with a scent that was uniquely her own.   
  
For a long moment, he was tongue-tied until he finally whispered, "You were great. Sensei must be proud of you."  
  
She smiled and pulled away, feeling her eyes tear up at the mere mention of her mentor. "Yeah, I know. I just wish Grandfather was here to share our victory with us. Oh, speaking of Grandfather, he just called me up earlier this morning and he was wishing us good luck -"  
  
"You're just lucky that Anzai is your grandfather, Maléna Hernandez," a voice interrupted, making her whirl around.  
  
Standing there was Coach Taoka with the rest of Team Ryonan shuffling out of the gym behind him. Maléna sighed and slowly walked up to the older man before bowing low to show respect. "I know your team plays well, Taoka-sensei. And I have the greatest respect for you and -"  
  
"Oh, do you now, you half-breed?!" he retorted icily, making her stiffen. "I never thought I'd see the day when some youngster would sashay in and attempt to outwit me in coaching. Well, let me tell you, gaijin-child, I will NEVER forget how you humiliated me and my team! And I don't give a damn about your achievements, because you are nothing more than a speck of dust in my opinion," he finished, satisfied that he had finally had his say.  
  
A ball of fire rolled around in Maléna's stomach. She never thought that Taoka would turn out to be so discriminating! The urge to smash her fist into his face was too difficult to ignore, but she steeled herself and looked at him squarely in the eye.  
  
"Now, where have I seen this scenario before?" she wondered out aloud, in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Oh, yes, I remember now," she said, in mock realization. "I've seen this in a movie...I think it was about an old geezer verbally harassing a girl for being smarter than he was..."  
  
By now, Kainan and Shoyo had also overheard her and were walking closer to hear her better. Maléna turned around to control the grin that was threatening to appear, before finally turning back to Taoka, putting on her straightest face.   
  
"Come to think of it, Taoka-sama...There are only two reasons I can think of as to why you just can't accept that I helped Shohoku win. 1) Because I'm younger than you and 2) Because I have what is scientifically called a VAGINA!" She practically yelled the last word, shocking everyone from the teams of Kainan, Shoyo, Ryonan, and even Shohoku.  
  
The players from each of the said teams gulped at almost exactly the same time, wondering how a girl could go around yelling about parts of her anatomy in such a blatant manner. Ayako buried her face in her hands, trying to hide the growing blush that was spreading from her neck to her ears. "Oh no..."  
  
All the other players were blushing a bright red that threatened to rival the color of Hanamichi's and Maléna's hair. Maléna, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice as she continued to stare down at Taoka, who could only quiver in suppressed outrage. 'Of all the impudent, disrespectful...'   
  
"For your information, Taoka-sama, I would never use my position on Team USA as a means to get what I want for Shohoku. I am merely following my Grandfather's instructions and there is nothing you can do about it. Grandfather sent a notice to the officials of the organization you are both members of, and they consented to my taking over for the duration of his vacation in Hawaii. Here's the approval for proof," Maléna stated, thrusting the piece of paper into Taoka's hands.  
  
"That document has been authenticated and signed by the officials," she continued matter-of-factly as Taoka scanned the print. "So, if you still want to continue your harrassment, I'll have you reported for misconduct. Have a nice day."  
  
Taking the paper from Taoka, she turned to walk away when Sendoh, Maki, and Fujima suddenly called out to her in unison. "Wait!"   
  
"I just want to know who you are. I'm Sendoh Akira." The tall forward of Ryonan stepped up, flashing a smile that would have made any other girl melt. This girl, however, did not react the way he expected. She looked bored, even blank as she gave him a look-over. He extended his hand to hers to further acquaint himself with her.  
  
Maléna accepted it coolly. "I know who you are, Sendoh. And if you're really that curious as to who I am, I'm every team's worst nightmare come to life. So you should be afraid. Be VERY, VERY afraid," she replied, low enough so that only the players of Ryonan could hear her.   
  
Uozumi felt his blood run cold at her words. Something about the look in her eyes and the way she looked at all of them made him shudder. It was as if she was sizing up their heads and trying to figure out where to display them in her living room.  
  
"Well, it seems that there are two others here who want very much to talk to me. You really must leave," she said, in exaggerated civility.  
  
"Okay, but can I call you sometime?" Sendoh asked, not even taking her implied warning to heed nor the angry glare Rukawa shot him.   
  
Maléna shrugged one shoulder. "Maybe or maybe not, I don't care. Take a walk, Sendoh. I'll see you in the next showdown."  
  
  
~*~*~   
  
  
As soon as they were out of earshot, Maki eagerly grasped Maléna's hand and shook it, excitement dancing in his eyes. "I can't believe you're here, Ms. Hernandez! It's like a dream come true. I've been wanting to meet you for so very long and talk to you and now you're actually here!" he babbled, amusing Maléna and the rest of team Shohoku.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hit the brakes, buddy! Before you start talking about my history, tell me your name first," she laughed, holding up a hand to stop him from exhausting himself.  
  
Kainan's team captain immediately righted himself. "Oh yeah, right. I'm sorry. I'm Shinichi Maki from Kainan High School. I play point guard for our basketball club and I'm also the team captain."  
  
Maléna nodded her greeting. "I see." 'And when will he let go of my hand? I wonder,' she thought ruefully.  
  
"It's such an honor to finally shake your hand, Ms. Hernandez. I've seen each one of your games, and I swear, you are the greatest female player I have ever seen," he exacerbated, eyes shining with delight.  
  
"Oh, I'm flattered. Charmed, even. Tell me, Maki...you will be going up against Shohoku, right?"  
  
"Why...yes," he answered, stupefied.  
  
"If you're asking me for suggestions, all I want you to do is to train until the day you go up against Shohoku. On the other hand, if you're looking for a game, I can readily agree to that and I'll even provide the refreshments. How's that?"  
  
Fujima stepped up. "If it's not too much to ask, I'd like to play against you, as well."  
  
Maléna turned to the handsome team captain of Shoyo, her amusement growing with each minute. This was getting silly. "And you are?"  
  
"Fujima Kenji, captain AND playing coach of Team Shoyo."  
  
"Oh, this will be interesting. Miyagi, could you contact our dear friend Sendoh and tell him I'd like to play a game with him, too? He'll be teaming up with Maki and Fujima here, while you, Akagi, and I will be our own team. I'm in the mood for three-on-three."  
  
"Let Rukawa do the calling. I'm not talking to THAT menace."  
  
Rukawa walked to the nearest pay phone, muttering under his breath. "He's not 'our dear friend'. I don't even like how he comes on so fresh and all."  
  
Maléna turned back to her two would-be challengers and looked them straight in the eye. "There's a half court two blocks away from Coach Anzai's house. The game is scheduled for three in the afternoon this Saturday. Got that? Bring your friends to cheer on you. I'd like to play up against guys this time. Girls can get so predictable."  
  
Maki nodded eagerly, while Fujima looked thoughtful. 'Is she mocking us?' he wondered, searching for signs of overconfidence in Maléna.  
  
The tall girl seemed to read his mind and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's just say that I haven't been able to play much since I got here and I really miss the game."  
  
With that, she turned away, gesturing for the rest of the team to follow her. "Fujima! Maki! I'll see you guys this weekend!" she called out without looking back at them.  
  
For a moment, Fujima and Maki just stared at each other. Suddenly, their faces lit up brighter than a New Year's fireworks display. "I can't believe it! She touched me," they gasped out. "I'm never going to take a bath again!"   
  
Collective sweatdropping from their teammates followed as the two captains danced around like two kids, laughing their heads off at their good fortune.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
As the train sped by, Mitsui turned to Maléna, a little unnerved by her sudden recklessness. "Oi, Maléna, you really didn't have to do that."  
  
Maléna only smiled. "I'm just going to measure up how they are as players and maybe I'll be able to do something about them. Don't worry about a thing, Mitsui."  
  
"Whatever you say...Where are we going?"  
  
"To Grandfather's house. He told me to let you guys relax there after your game. Said he wanted to speak to all of you. As soon as we get there, I'll call him on the speaker phone so we can save on the phone bill."  
  
Hanamichi reached over and tugged her hair again. "You're becoming quite cocky, Léna-chan," he grinned, using the term of endearment she found to be mildly disturbing.  
  
She feigned annoyance and smoothed down her hair before smacking Hanamichi on the arm. "Quit pulling my hair, you big goober! I don't have plans to end up with YOUR do," she exclaimed, drawing laughter from everyone else.  
  
~*~*~  
  
They arrived at a neat, two-storey house with a small garden after walking a short distance from the train station. Maléna fished out the keys in her pocket and unlocked the door, motioning for them to remove their shoes before entering.   
  
Pictures of Maléna greeted them as soon as they stepped into the living room. There were huge framed ones that hung from the wall, as well as medals. Smaller photos were scattered everywhere, but the best one was of her dressed in sporty underwear sitting on a basketball with a milk moustache (one of those MILK ads in the magazines).   
  
Akagi read the English print written on the photograph, laughing a little. "So they asked you to do an ad for milk?"  
  
She smiled apologetically, suddenly uncomfortable with the way the rest were gawking at her in that particular photo and mentally kicking herself for not putting them away as she had first decided.   
  
"Yeah. Sorry about the photos. Grandfather tends to go overboard sometimes with these things. I kind of get embarrassed sometimes when he takes guests to tour around the house and shows them all these photographs."   
  
Rukawa picked up a smaller photo that showed Maléna wearing a low-cut ballgown in a beautiful shade of green, with her hand in the crook of her grandfather's arm. Her hair was beautifully styled to show the graceful curves of her neck and shoulders, emphasizing the high cheekbones and regal bearing. His heart skipped two beats at her sudden transformation in the photograph.   
  
'Beautiful...'  
  
Mitsui was looking at the other photographs showing Maléna in soccer gear giving a thumbs-up for the camera after winning a game, her face smeared with dirt. Another one showed a younger Maléna doing a backflip on what looked like a balance beam. "You were into gymnastics too?" he asked, unable to keep quiet.  
  
"Before I shot up, yes. After that, I felt I looked awkward on a balance beam, so I played baseball and soccer. The coach for our girl's basketball club approached me one day and asked me to try basketball. So, I did."  
  
"And that's how you ended up," Mitsui concluded, admiring the other photographs. "But I can't understand some of these other photos. Your poses are strange here, although you look lovely in the dresses you're wearing."  
  
Maléna had to laugh. "Oh, THOSE pictures with the white dresses and all? I modelled them for a few magazines. I think Grandmother cut them out and framed them. A lot of people were shocked to see me in a dress. Normally, I'm a t-shirt and jeans girl."  
  
"Sensei's extrememly proud of you, Maléna. I don't see any photograph of any other person except you."   
  
"The feeling's mutual, Mitsui. Why don't you guys make yourselves comfortable while I prepare some snacks."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	11. Chapter Ten: Feelings, Reminders and Nig...

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TEN - Feelings, Reminders and Nightmares  
  
  
  
While she was busy preparing snacks in the kitchen, the cagers kept looking around at Maléna's photos that adorned the walls.   
  
Hanamichi sniggered. "I can't imagine the old man going through this much to show his pride in his granddaughter. I think it's a bit overwhelming for Maléna, right Kitsune?" He nudged Rukawa.   
  
Rukawa was still holding the photograph, too busy staring at it to answer. Hanamichi nudged him again. "Oi Kitsune...put that down, I'm talking to you."  
  
A sudden gleam in his eyes caught the attention of almost everyone, even Akagi. "Oi, you like Maléna. Don't you, Kitsune? C'mon, you DO like her, right? Right?" Hanamichi remarked slyly, nudging his poor teammate for the nth time that day.   
  
Suddenly the team was regarding him with interest and Rukawa scowled. "Do'aho..."  
  
"NANI?! TEME KITSUNE!!!"  
  
"They say a kiss is all you need to get the message across," Akagi suddenly commented, making even Mitsui laugh.   
  
"Akagi, all of a sudden you're Dr. Love? Oh, this is getting crazy! I bet you did that with someone."  
  
"Nope. Read that in one of Haruko's books. She reads those things when she doesn't want to study. I've confiscated a great deal of them already. Some actually make a lot of sense. You should read those romantic books Rukawa, if you want to get any ideas on how to sweep her off her feet," the team captain suggested.   
  
The small forward of Shohoku looked slightly uncomfortable, but masked it with his trademark glare. "I do NOT want to sweep anyone off their feet, much less kiss them," he said, making Ayako giggle.  
  
"He's taken quite a fall...You'd never hear him say anything, much less talk in complete sentences. Aside from that, he's become quite...eloquent," Miyagi commented dryly, knowing the change in his teammate wasn't just a hormonal imbalance.   
  
"So when do you plan to tell her?" Kogure asked.  
  
Rukawa snorted. "Tell her what? I'm only seeking training from her, nothing more."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Their 'important discussion' was interrupted when Maléna came in bringing a tray of freshly-baked cookies and drinks. "Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I had to heat the cookies up in the oven for a while. I'll call Grandfather and see if he's there so we can talk to him."  
  
Leaning over Rukawa, she placed the phone in the middle of the coffee table, picked up the receiver and dialed. When the phone on the other end rang, she pressed the button to enable the speaker and put down the receiver. Coach Anzai answered with a cheerful, "Aloha, my dear! Are you having fun?"  
  
"Yeah, but I really miss you, Grandfather," Maléna replied, wiping away a tear. 'Damn, I'm getting emotional.'  
  
"And I miss you as well, angel...Tell me, how was the first game you coached? Is the team with you?"  
  
Mitsui immediately shouted, "We won, Sensei! Thanks to Maléna, we won!"   
  
Anzai smiled on the other end. "That's my grandchild for you, Mitsui-kun. I told you she was good, didn't I?"   
  
Everyone heartily agreed. Maléna had been an excellent coach and had made them realize that they still had so much to learn. Outside the gym, she was a good friend, always there when they needed tutoring or just to listen to them talk about their problems that ranged from lovelife to family.  
  
"Sensei, she's a blessing to the team. You should have seen her during the game! She was so incredibly calm, it was amazing. And she didn't yell at us, unlike Taoka-sama was doing with Ryonan."  
  
"I hear you, Akagi. And I'd like all of you to do me a favor..."  
  
The team leaned in to the phone, as he continued. "I want you to watch over Maléna for me. She's new to Japan, and I don't want anything to happen to her."  
  
"Haha, don't worry, old man! With the genius here, NOTHING can harm her!" Hanamichi bragged, putting a protective arm around Maléna.  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of," Miyagi muttered under his breath, noticing the way Rukawa's eyes flashed fire.   
  
"Sensei, did you know that your Maléna's becoming pretty popular with our rivals?" he asked, trying to divert Rukawa's attention. It worked. Rukawa practically seethed, recalling how Sendoh, Maki, and Fujima were throwing themselves at her feet an hour ago.  
  
"Yes, she has admirers wherever she goes. She's proved to be a self-assured young lady and I am proud of what she has become."  
  
"Quite obvious from the pictures decorating your home, Sensei," Kogure remarked, looking around the room.  
  
Maléna cleared her throat. "I think we're becoming a little bit too emotional here, Grandfather. Let's stop, I don't want to end up flooding the house. You DO remember the last time I watched 'Titanic', right?"  
  
Everyone laughed. A low chuckle was heard on the other end. "Maléna, don't tell me you still cry at sad movies...Tsk tsk...I thought you said you were over that phase."  
  
To that, she blushed, eliciting more laughs from everyone in the room, save Rukawa, who was watching her move with the easy grace only she could possess. His reverie was interrupted when Coach Anzai gave a few reminders and bid goodbye to them before hanging up.  
  
"Remember to watch over Maléna for me...I don't want anything to happen to her. If her parents ever found out that something happened to their Pumpkin, they would be heartbroken."  
  
"Uh-huh," Maléna nodded, eyes twinkling with mirth. "They'd lose their only source of income. I can imagine Papa saying, 'There goes everything!' Ken and Joaquin wouldn't be able to finish college."  
  
Her grandfather had to laugh. "It's not because of your career that we love you, child. You're YOU, and that's what is important. Now, take care of yourself and don't forget -"  
  
"-to eat plenty of vegetables, take my ascorbic acid and get plenty of sleep," she droned out, echoing her grandfather. "I know, Grandfather, I know. I'll keep those in mind. Enjoy Hawaii!"   
  
Anzai hung up and they were left with a dial tone. Maléna returned the phone to its position on the corner table, ignoring their incredulous stares.   
  
Miyagi raised an eyebrow in speculation and snickered. "Eat plenty of vegetables?"  
  
Mitsui smirked. "Ascorbic acid?"  
  
Hanamichi burst into outright guffaws. "PUMPKIN?"  
  
The tall girl looked defensive. "That's a secret between us, okay! I don't want others to find out that my parents still treat me like a six-year-old instead of a sixteen-year-old!"  
  
Ayako patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Actually girlfriend, I think it's sweet of them. Not all parents are exactly lovey-dovey with their kids."  
  
"So, tell us Maléna, how is your relationship with your parents?" Akagi asked.   
  
Mitsui nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I mean, they might be really worried about you."   
  
"I'm close to both of them, although Papa is more conservative. Okaachan's more liberated than he is, but I love them both."  
  
"How'd you get your name?" Kogure asked, wanting to satisfy his curiousity.  
  
Maléna wrinkled her nose. "It's a long story, and you'll probably think it's sappy."  
  
"No, we'd like to know what happened," Mitsui interjected. "Your name's quite rare actually, and it's not everyday that we hear a name such as yours."  
  
Taking a deep breath, she recounted the story of how she got her name...   
  
"My mother was already pregnant with me, but Papa didn't know about it yet. They went out on a belated anniversary date and watched a movie about a pretty newcomer named Maléna in a certain village who gets shunned by all the women because she attracts their men, and no matter how nice she is to them, they hate her."   
  
"She leaves and comes back years later when she's already matured and there are fine lines around her eyes. The women finally accept her because she's no longer a flawless beauty and one of them. Okaachan surprised Papa when she said that Maléna would be a good name for her baby. They threw in Lisabeta for good measure," she finished, smiling at the looks of interest on their faces.  
  
"But you have other names thrown in with that one. Why is that? Isn't it kinda kilometric?" Ayako frowned, finding it hard to believe that foreigners would actually give long names to their children.  
  
"Maria Soledad was my grandmother's name. She was Papa's mother and she died a day after I was born, in the same hospital where Okaachan gave birth to me. I wish I could have met her before that happened, then I'd know more about her than from my parents' stories or pictures..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked down at her folded hands, sighing wistfully.   
  
Ayako suddenly felt embarrassed for bringing up the topic but when she tried to apologize, Maléna dismissed it, saying that it was okay with her. Instead of giving them the brush-off, she told them that talking to her about these things helped her a lot so she wouldn't be lonely.  
  
"I've never been away from my parents. During every game and practice, they'd wait for me and bring me home. This is the first time I'm on my own and honestly, I miss everything. I miss my father's fajitas, my mother's voice, the smell of my dogs, my bed, even my brothers' teasing," she explained.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
The youngsters continued talking until late in the afternoon. When it was time to go, everyone was hesitant to leave Maléna.  
  
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Akagi asked, concern etched on his face.  
  
She laughed. "I'll be fine. Don't worry, I'll lock all the doors."  
  
"At least let someone sleep in the guest room," Kogure suggested. "That way, you'd be a lot safer."  
  
She flashed him a grateful smile. "Thank you Kogure, but that really won't be necessary. I'll see you all tomorrow."  
  
Everyone hesitated for a moment when Rukawa spoke up. "I can sleep in the guest room. It's not a problem with my sister anyway. I can just call her and tell her where I am."  
  
Maléna opened her mouth to protest. "But Rukawa, I-"  
  
"But nothing," Akagi interrupted, not unkindly. "Sensei told us to watch over you while you're here and that's what we should do in return for the training we received from you and Sensei. Rukawa volunteered, so he'll watch over you tonight."  
  
Before she could protest any further, they went home, leaving Rukawa with her.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Rukawa picked up the phone, dialing his sister's office number. The phone rang twice before she picked up. "Hello?"  
  
"Oneechan, it's Kaede. I'll be over at Sensei's house tonight. His granddaughter needs someone to watch over her."   
  
Frantic chattering on the other end. He inwardly winced. "Okay, don't worry."  
  
More chattering. He sighed. "Yes, I'll be home tomorrow. Okay. Bye."  
  
He hung up, turning around to find Maléna looking at him skeptically. From the look on her face, he knew she wasn't quite convinced that his sister had granted him permission. "She said it's okay if I sleep over."  
  
Maléna suddenly smiled, catching him off-guard. "Fine. The guest room is adjacent to the bathroom on the second floor. My room is right across. If you need anything, I'll be making dinner."   
  
He nodded and went upstairs to find the room. He immediately located it and went inside, plopping down on the bed. The thought that Maléna would be sleeping in the room across the hallway suddenly made him uncomfortable. Already, he felt the room was getting warmer, even as the sun had set and an evening breeze blew through the open window.   
  
'Maybe I should lie down for awhile,' he thought to himself. Then again, he also felt the hunger pangs growing so he decided to find out what Maléna was whipping up in the kitchen.  
  
He found her dancing around with an apron tied around her. She had also changed out of her blouse and slacks into a pair of khaki shorts and a light blue tanktop. For the first time, he noticed how slim she was, her narrow waist flaring out into shapely hips.   
  
His throat went dry. 'Damn, she's got a nice set of legs!' he thought to himself, taking his time to study them. Unlike most women athletes, hers were firm, not muscled. Their length was proportional to the rest of her and not an ounce of fat could be seen on her.  
  
'You hentai!' he silently berated, mentally giving himself a kick. Unconsciously, Maléna was giving him quite a view of her well-formed derriere and model's legs. She turned around suddenly, startling him.  
  
"I really don't know what you usually have, so I played it safe and made torikatsu. I hope that's okay."   
  
He shrugged. "I'll eat anything," he replied, keeping his face neutral.  
  
She smiled apologetically, squatting down to place the food on the low table before gesturing for him to sit down and eat. He complied, finally noticing the wonderful aroma emanating from the breaded chicken cutlets covered in sweet sauce, with perfectly cooked rice, making his mouth water even more.   
  
Rukawa was about to eat when he saw Maléna cross herself and clasp her hands together in silent prayer. 'Grace before meals...another Christian practice,' he thought, watching her lips move to form words of a memorized verse.  
  
He refrained from digging in until she had finished and intoned, "Itadakimasu."  
  
Breaking his chopsticks, Rukawa brought a piece of chicken to his mouth, almost fainting as the delicious taste registered in his tastebuds. By far, this was the best torikatsu he had ever tasted and he was determined to savor every last bit of it.  
  
Maléna was looking at him expectantly as he took the first bite of her cooking. "So? How is it?"  
  
He merely looked at her before finally swallowing and answered, "It's good."  
  
"Thanks. Glad you like it."  
  
Shrugging, Rukawa reached for another piece of torikatsu. "To be honest, it's a whole lot better than my sister's cooking." To that remark, she shook her head and laughed.  
  
"Thank you for saying that. Although your sister won't be as happy with what you have to say about her cooking."  
  
"She knows she's an awful cook anyway."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
He helped her clear the dishes before bidding her good night. Or rather, SHE bid him good night while he nodded.  
  
Closing the door, Rukawa plopped down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Instead of falling asleep, his eyes remained open and his lids stubbornly refused to close. Maybe if he lay on his stomach, he'd fall asleep.   
  
He did just that and forced his eyes shut.  
  
Seconds later, they popped open.  
  
Damn. This wasn't working.  
  
He tried other positions, even tried spreading his sheet on the floor and lying there for a while.   
  
Nada.   
  
Sitting up, he smacked his forehead three times with his pillow, frustrated that sleep was not coming so easy to him. He glanced at his digital watch. The numbers read 12:30. Crap.  
  
A scream from across the hallway startled him and he immediately bolted out the door and crossed the hall in five long strides to Maléna's door. The door was slightly ajar and he could hear muffled sobs coming from inside, followed by another anguished cry.  
  
One bare leg flashed in the darkness, tangling itself in the sheets. He then realized that Maléna was having a nightmare.   
  
Inching closer, Rukawa sat on the edge of the bed, tentatively brushing away strands of auburn that were matted to her forehead, listening to her draw in a shuddering breath. Something was definitely wrong with her but his brain couldn't quite make it out as he was already distracted by her heaving chest beneath her nightgown.   
  
Suddenly, she reached for his hand and clung to him, as if seeking supplication. "Neil...don't leave me...please don't leave me..."  
  
Not quite knowing what to do, Rukawa simply held her hand, waiting for her sobs to cease. One part of him was telling him to get out of the room, but he was completely rooted to the spot. What was she saying? And what, for that matter, was she hiding?  
  
Once Maléna had somehow gotten her sleep back, Rukawa slowly released her hand and returned to his room, still wondering what had happened to her.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
TBC 


	12. Chapter Eleven: A Rivalry Intensifies

Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.   
  
Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN - A Rivalry Intensifies  
  
  
  
"I can't believe she actually wants to play against me," Sendoh breathed reverently, stretching back on his bed.   
  
Koshino frowned. He knew who Sendoh was talking about, and frankly, he was already envisioning some fiasco that was going to happen in two days' time. He would have to watch this strange three-on-three challenge.  
  
"You're in way over your head, man," he warned, his glaze flickering over the cluttered mess his friend called a room.  
  
Sendoh snorted derisively. "You're just jealous 'cause she likes ME and not you."  
  
"Ha! You can have her for all I care."  
  
"And that's the way it should be."  
  
Rolling his eyes heavenward, Koshino silently prayed for his teammate. He could practically see little hearts dancing in Sendoh's eyes, could practically hear the capitalization of his words whenever he mentioned Maléna Hernandez. But that wasn't all that Koshino noticed.   
  
Sendoh seemed pretty slow on the uptake when Rukawa glared at him while stepping closer to Maléna, almost as if he was protecting her, guarding her like a faithful shadow. This was a whole new side to their rivalry. And Koshino knew it was going to burn even fiercer than before. This time, they were competing for one girl's heart.  
  
'You can't blame the guy, you know. She IS as beautiful as everyone says. Perhaps even more in Sendoh's eyes. And most probably Rukawa too,' a little voice inside Koshino remarked.  
  
That was going to be a BIG problem. He knew that once Sendoh wanted something, he'd stubbornly pursue it, even if it would elude him to no end. He had quite a bevy of girls at his beck and call, but Koshino knew that Sendoh liked women who challenged him.  
  
And Maléna was definitely a steep wall to climb -or a hard-to-get girl, depending on your POV- with her green eyes, defiantly tilted chin, and fiesty nature hidden underneath that flawless exterior of hers, according to Sendoh.  
  
"You're thinking of how you're going to beat her, right?" Koshino asked.  
  
A lazy smile spread across Sendoh's face. "No. I'm thinking of asking her out."  
  
Koshino fell out of his chair and landed -PLOP!- on his rear end. "What? Do you have ANY friggin' idea what you're getting yourself into?!" he demanded, not bothering to rub his sore tailbone as he got up off the floor.  
  
"Yes. I'm simply going to ask her out to dinner and then a movie. Everything will progress from there," Sendoh carelessly replied, grinning ear-to-ear as he imagined holding Maléna close to him.  
  
"Jeez, you are one HOPELESS prick! There are times I can forgive your stupidity, but THIS takes the cake!" Koshino cried out, windmilling his arms around to emphasize his point.   
  
"The girl doesn't give a damn about you! She was sizing up your head for a spike, in case you didn't notice this morning! And you didn't see how closely Rukawa was guarding her, did you? It's obvious that ~ "  
  
" ~ that I'm in for a competition with none other than Rukawa Kaede, even better. This time, it's both on and off the hardourt, interesting. Very interesting," Sendoh interrupted, his smile growing wider if that was ever possible.  
  
How was it that super rookie Rukawa could like such a girl anyway? He had long ago manifested the most ANTI-SOCIAL aura on a person, that everyone suspected he wasn't human at all. There was no sign of a friendly, outgoing, OR romantic bone in his body. He just continued to play basketball with the same haunted look in his dark eyes, ignoring the people who sang his praises. He looked practically lifeless...except on the hardcourt.  
  
Unknown to Koshino, Sendoh HAD noticed how closely Rukawa stood next to Maléna, glaring daggers at him when he tried to ask for her number. He was definitely going to have a lot of fun getting her to admit her feelings for him, while Rukawa tried to win her using his own methods. Of course, that was IF he ever DID have any methods up his sleeve...   
  
Glancing at his watch, he sighed. Time for another day of school, facing his adoring public, and getting his head chewed off by Taoka-sensei again.  
  
But first, he had someplace to go...  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
ANZAI RESIDENCE  
  
Rukawa glanced up from his breakfast, looking across the table at Maléna, who was silently reading the morning papers and eating toast. Beside her was a pile of notebooks and books that lay open, filled with a beautiful, flowing script that was her handwriting. He couldn't understand the words, but he struggled to read anyway.  
  
She noticed him looking at her notebooks and put down the newsprint. "My Speech notes," she said, handing him the top notebook.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be scouting for a good school here?" he asked, accepting the notebook and scanning through it.  
  
"That was just a cover-up for the media. I'm here for other reasons. I never said anything about quitting school to study here, but I had to come up with a good excuse to keep those annoying reporters at bay. My teachers understood and they gave me all this work to take with me. As soon as I get back, I'm having them checked," she answered, wrinkling her nose at the thought of how much work she still hadn't completed.  
  
"...Ro...mans...coun...try...men...and...lo...vers..." Rukawa trailed off, straining to read what was written, but having difficulty as his words slurred over. A voice taunted him mercilessly for sleeping in all his classes, and he snapped the notebook shut, fixing his eyes on his unfinished breakfast.  
  
"...hear me for my cause and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses that you may be the better judge," Maléna continued, rapidly translating the English to Nihongo for Rukawa to understand.   
  
"The Defense of Brutus, from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. One of my favorite speeches, next to Mark Antony's," she grinned, finishing the remains on her plate.  
  
Rukawa could only watch in wonder as she got up to clear off the table, the noebook still in his lap. Last night...last night, she was different. Last night, he had seen another side of her...one that was troubled, anguished, and sorrowful. This morning however, she looked as if nothing had happened. He never mentioned it, but the feeling that she was hiding something nagged him continuously.  
  
He hadn't gotten a good sleep last night, as he pondered over what she had been crying out in her sleep. It had been somebody's name...A name that sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite recall where he had first heard it.  
  
Just WHO was Neil anyway? And why did it matter to him?  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Sendoh whistled tunelessly as he smoothed in the last speck of gel into his gravity-defying hair, then straightened his collar before heading off. Instead of hopping on the train going to school, he chose another destination.   
  
Shohoku High.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
The sun was partially hidden behind cumulus clouds of white, giving just the right amount of heat that invited one outdoors. Stray sunbeams danced on two heads, making one gleam like polished mahogany, and the other shine like dark ebony that looked silken. The world was just beginning to stir, and everywhere, pots and pans clanged as the smell of breakfast permeated the air.  
  
Silence reigned over the two figures however, as both were immersed in their own thoughts. Finally not being able to stand not hearing her voice, Rukawa turned to Maléna.  
  
"Who's Neil?" he wanted to know, watching for a reaction from the girl walking alongside him. Surprisingly, he was feeling a little jealous that this Neil character seemed to have such a hold on Maléna. He never realized that...  
  
"Neil was...no..." she shook her head, murmuring more to herself than to him. "...will always be my brother. My only little brother."  
  
Rukawa felt a wave of relief wash over him. Neil wasn't her boyfriend after all! He was only her brother...  
  
Only her brother.  
  
'Why are you so curious as to who Neil is? He's the least of your problems!' The more logical side of him screamed.  
  
He didn't ask any more questions and continued to walk straight ahead. However, he failed to notice the tear that traced a path down Maléna's cheek before staining her blouse.   
  
And the sun continued to shine.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Practice was going well as usual. Ayako's deadly paper fans weren't being put to use, as even Hanamichi was on his best behavior. Akagi hadn't given anyone lumps, Rukawa hadn't fallen asleep, the Rukawa shinetai hadn't started shrieking their lungs out, the Sakuragi gundan hadn't insulted their friend, and not one of Mitsui's old gangster buddies had dropped by to pay a visit.  
  
The only person who was different that day was Maléna. Everyone was worried about her. On some occasions, she joined their practices, playing with them as if she was really one of them. Other times, she would be walking around the perimeter of the hardcourt, observing their play from different angles, constantly calling out instructions or praising them.   
  
She was always so very driven, pushing them forward to strive constantly, never ceasing in her objective to turn them into the best team ever. Today, however, she looked tired, even listless, as she sat on the bench and stared off into space, her eyes unseeing. Not even when they had formed their own unique play did she snap out of her trance.   
  
"Maléna? Girlfriend, are you okay?" Ayako asked worriedly, coming up to sit beside her friend.  
  
She didn't reply and instead, closed her eyes and stuck her hand inside her jeans pocket, slowly drawing out a thin silver chain encased inside her fist. Releasing her hold, Maléna tilted her palm to let the chain dangle from her fingers.  
  
Closer inspection revealed it to be a necklace. But what caught everyone's attention was the small silver crucifix for a pendant that glittered like a tiny star. Ayako held her breath as it caught light and reflected it against the far wall, forming a cross-shaped rainbow. Practice stopped and everyone turned to look at the wall in utter fascination.  
  
Maléna fastened the necklace around her neck where it glittered against the black fabric of her blouse and said, "Tell everyone to get back to practice, Ayako."   
  
"Okay," Ayako nodded. She then turned back to make sure that her friend was feeling okay, but Maléna was busy scanning her notes.  
  
Just then, the door opened and in walked...  
  
"Sendoh," Rukawa glowered, regarding him with obvious hostility.  
  
The tall boy merely waved at all of them, unmindful of the strange battle auras that surrounded both Hanamichi and Rukawa. Miyagi, Mitsui, and Kogure were now fanning themselves with Ayako's paper fans, relieved that they were at least good for something else. Everyone else could feel the blood boiling in the boys' veins as Sendoh neared Maléna and handed her a bouquet.   
  
"For one whose beauty is incomparable to the stars," he said, bowing low and smiling, spurring Rukawa's ire further.   
  
Maléna blinked. "Um...thanks...I think," she replied, scratching the back of her head in confusion. 'How'd he get in the school?' she wondered, eyeing the bouquet cautiously before finally accepting it.  
  
"So...Sendoh...What are you doing here?" she asked, handing the bouquet to Ayako and secretly motioning her to dispose of it somewhere.   
  
The Ryonan sophomore shrugged. "Well...I happened to be passing by here and I thought I'd pay you a visit. And since I'm already here, I'll make my intentions clear now." He leaned in to whisper, "I've got reservations for dinner tonight. Pick you up at 7."  
  
Arching an eyebrow, Maléna grinned mockingly. "And what if I don't go out with you?" she asked.  
  
"Then I'll make sure we go some place nicer, next time around. And I won't give up, no matter how many times you turn me down. I'm not a quitter."  
  
"Fine, I'll be at home by then. Now get off my territory. Please," she said in a clipped voice.  
  
Sendoh shook his head, and proceeded to sit down beside Maléna, comfortably draping an arm over her shoulders. "Not so fast," he crooned, winking with exaggerated drollery. "I've got a lot of time on my hands before I head off and I want to make the most of it as much as possible by getting to know you more."   
  
Right then and there, Rukawa looked like he was going to strangle someone, so Miyagi and Mitsui wisely backed off. Hanamichi, on the other hand, was not one to keep his thoughts to himself and he stomped over to the bench, fuming.  
  
Stopping in front of Sendoh, he glared down at the annoying teenager he deemed a porcupine. An all-too-happy porcupine, judging from the way he was cozying up Maléna.   
  
"Oi, red! Something I can help you with?" Sendoh asked, looking up. Though he looked complacent, Hanamichi saw the calculating look in his eyes when he looked over at Rukawa and moved closer to Maléna, who was beginning to look uncomfortable.  
  
'He's trying to make the kitsune jealous!' Hanamichi realized. 'He's daring the kitsune to make a move and hit him. This will be trouble again for all of us.'  
  
"Get. Out. Now." he ordered tersely, pointing to the door.  
  
His command was met with a smirk and Sendoh promptly ignored him, shooing him away. "Go bother someone else, Sakuragi. The lady and I are talking."  
  
"You're the one who doesn't belong here, Sendoh. Get out," Rukawa said, coming up beside Hanamichi.  
  
Sendoh got up, nailing their gazes with his own. The gym was eerily quiet, so quiet that everyone scarcely dared to breath. The three players looked like ticking time bombs waiting to explode, each one sizing up the other. The Sakuragi gundan and Rukawa shinetai waited with bated breath for the battle to begin, but Kogure gallantly stepped in, anxious to have peace.  
  
"Maa maa...Let's leave no room for petty quarrels, okay?" he said placatingly, placing a steady hand on Rukawa's arm.  
  
Rukawa merely glared. "You tell this trespasser to get out before I rearrange his face."  
  
Sendoh's grin disappeared, replaced with a look of deadly calm. "She does not have any ties to you, Rukawa. Therefore, you have no right to interfere with my business and hers."   
  
Dark eyes flashed fire and a hand balled into a fist as Rukawa struggled to control the rage that was burning within him.   
  
Surprisingly, this was the first time he had gotten THIS angry, and it wasn't even over basketball. He had never been this incensed, this tempted to smash his fist into someone's face and part of him was confused. Why could he feel so much anger over such a small matter such as seeing his rival talking to Maléna? Why was he so affected anyway?  
  
'Because she matters to you more than you think. And you're afraid you won't win this time,' a voice taunted.  
  
Maléna was also getting quite angry and she stood up, stepping in between the two. The look in her eyes was frightening to say the least and even Rukawa took a step back as she looked at him and Sendoh.  
  
"Enough of the both of you! I am not some prize to be won!" she shouted, startling them. "If you want to fight like two overgrown preschoolers, go ahead, but it will NOT be here! SO_GET_THE_HELL_OUT!"  
  
Nobody moved.   
  
Taking a deep breath, Maléna turned to Sendoh, her voice calm and controlled. "I think you had better go now. The three-on-three challenge still stands so you can forget about our earlier agreement and focus on what I may do to you on Saturday."  
  
The grin was back on his face and Sendoh turned to leave, but not before he reached for her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles.  
  
"I'll see you tonight," he whispered. "Don't sleep on me."   
  
With that, he walked out the door, leaving the gymnasium. The silence was deafening to say the least. Maléna was slowly rubbing the spot on her hand where Sendoh's lips had made brief contact. It had been short, but she could feel the electricity that went with it, making her heart pound a tad faster.   
  
Hanamichi was too stunned and too outraged to even speak up after witnessing the annoyingly suave boy make a move on the girl he adored as a friend and confidante. Rukawa ducked his head, his breathing shallower as he struggled against warring emotions. Sendoh had already openly shown his affection for Maléna and she seemed to be slowly succumbing to his charms.   
  
He swallowed a curse. 'I refuse to lose this one. I can't lose and I won't,' he vowed silently, turning away before anybody else could see how affected he was. As usual, Ayako was the only one who noticed and she cast him a sympathetic glance, silently wishing that some miracle would happen to give him the courage to be true to his feelings.   
  
'Rukawa...you're running out of time...I just hope you'll come to your senses before you lose Maléna.'  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Flipping through the channels that evening, Maléna suddenly found herself thinking about Sendoh. He was good-looking in his own way with a crooked, easy-going grin that could make girls sigh, as well as calm, dark blue eyes that always seemed half-closed, hidden beneath lashes that were far too long for a guy's, and a charismatic sort of aura about him that attracted just about anyone.  
  
She blinked twice. 'Why am I thinking of him?' she wondered. 'Why am I feeling so confused?'   
  
Images of Sendoh flashed through her mind, clashing with Rukawa's that brought about even more confusion. 'Ayako says that Rukawa likes me, but he's too shy to say so. I don't understand if I should believe it or not, if I should be flattered or disgusted.'  
  
Maléna couldn't forget what Ayako had told her about Rukawa's feelings one day. It remained imprinted in her mind when the petite team manager had teased her mercilessly about the way he looked at her.  
  
  
***Flashback***  
  
"Maléna, do you remember what I told you about Sendoh? About the fact that he likes you, especially when he looks at you?"  
  
The said girl looked up from her notes, eyebrows raised. "Uh-huh. Why?"  
  
"Ummm...well, there's someone else who likes you that way, too. And I'll tell you who he is," Ayako winked, plopping down beside her on the bench.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Rukawa."  
  
Maléna looked wide-eyed. "Ru...kawa?" she asked faintly. Ayako nodded vigorously, her baseball cap threatening to fall off.  
  
"Yup. He told me so...well, not EXACTLY told me, but you get the picture."   
  
"How can he like me?" the American sputtered disbelievingly. "He's...he's..." She paused to rack her brains for the right word to describe the rookie.  
  
"Arrogant? Anti-social? Quiet? Menacing? Narcoleptic? Lifeless? Boring? Jejune? Lethargic?"  
  
"Try chauvinistic. Or obstinate."  
  
Shrugging, Ayako grinned. "Maybe," she retorted, "you're just saying that because YOU like him too!"   
  
"What?" She looked aghast. "Ayako, don't put words in my mouth, for crying out loud!"  
  
Laughing, Ayako got up and started chanting in a singsong voice, "Léna and Kaede sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then come Kaede with a baby carriage!" all the while moving her head from left to right with each syllable, inducing blushes from her friend.  
  
Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Maléna sighed. "Whatever you say, Ayako."   
  
***End of Flashback***  
  
  
She was startled out of her train of thought when the doorbell rang. Peeking out her window, she found Sendoh outside her gate, looking up at her with the same relaxed grin.  
  
"Hold on! I'll be down in a minute!" she called out, ducking back inside and pulling down the drapes. Hurrying downstairs, she quickly unlocked the gate, gesturing for him to come inside. He refused and instead, asked her if she was dressed warmly enough.   
  
She nodded, her brow creasing in slight confusion. "What's going on?"  
  
"I thought we'd go for a little walk, you and I," Sendoh replied, leaning on the wall sideways. He had on a navy blue shirt and faded jeans with a pair of well-worn sneakers, still reeking with the smooth appeal he had displayed earlier. In one part of her mind, Maléna noticed that there was a certain awkwardness in his eyes, though his stance did not show it and she relaxed, feeling a bit guilty for pre-judging him.  
  
'Maybe I ought to give this guy a chance. I wasn't exactly nice to him,' she thought, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.  
  
"Fine. I'll just grab my keys and we can go."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"I'm just curious, why are you here?"  
  
Maléna shrugged. "Had to be here to help Grandfather."  
  
"Oh. Is that all?" Sendoh asked, giving her a sidelong glance. She smiled.   
  
"Yes, that's all."  
  
He shifted his position on the bench, sitting up from his accustomed slouch to gaze into her eyes. She looked so beautiful, illuminated by the moonlight, especially the way her hair fell over her shoulders down to her back and the way her eyes seemed half-lidded when she lowered her gaze.   
  
Reaching for her hand, he stopped when she crossed her arms over her chest. "What's wrong?"  
  
Maléna shook her head, looking serious. "Nothing. It's just that holding my hand is going to stall you. If there's something you want to tell me, go ahead."  
  
The bench they were sitting on creaked a bit as Sendoh got up, looking at the fountain across him that had become the trysting place for couples. Right now, he could see three who looked so much in love that he broke into a silly grin. 'Someday,' he told himself. 'I'll have her to myself just like that.'  
  
"I won't waste your time, Maléna. The reason why I'm here with you is because what I am going to tell you is of importance."  
  
He turned around and walked back to her, squatting in front of her with his arms folded on her lap. "I've liked you since the first day I laid eyes on you, but now, I feel that there's something else. When I touched your hand, I felt strange. Your voice just seemed to sing through my head and I began looking forward to all the games Shohoku would play if only to get a glimpse of you."  
  
She swallowed, the movement visible to Sendoh as he went on. "I realized that I had to have you that day you blew me off, but when I noticed how closely Rukawa was guarding you, I put two and two together and figured he wanted to keep you."   
  
"I know about the fact that my rival, Rukawa Kaede likes you and that I'm in for serious competition with him. I just want to let you know that I don't intend to lose you to him."   
  
The feeling that she was being overwhelmed by two boys made her want to scream. Maléna knew that she couldn't let her heart rule over her head and she fought to keep calm as she finally found her voice.  
  
"Well, good luck to both of you," she remarked sarcastically. "Because not one of you will have me."  
  
With that, she pushed Sendoh's arms off her lap and walked away, leaving him alone. His smile was one that held a secret, as if what he were about to divulge was of great importance.  
  
"Someday, you WILL be mine, Maléna...someday I'll have you."  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	13. Chapter Twelve: Rumors are just RumorsTi...

Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much. This chapter has Haruko bashing, so beware!  
  
  
Notes: Thanks to my dear friend, Seranida for adding the bits of conversation where I was hopelessly stuck! I love you girl! You saved my ass again!  
  
  
  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE - Rumors are just Rumors...Time for a Wake-up Call!  
  
  
  
Akagi Haruko walked up to the gym, hesitating to enter it as she recalled what had happened earlier that day...  
  
  
***Flashback***  
  
  
As she was walking to school with her friends, she noticed Rukawa rounding the corner. What was unusual was that he wasn't on his bike. Instead, he had chosen to actually WALK. And he wasn't even asleep!  
  
Before she could step up to him, she saw the object of her infatuation stop to look over his shoulder at someone who had fallen a step behind. That someone was hunched over and was tying her shoelaces, red hair tumbling past graceful shoulders.  
  
Rukawa walked back to the person and held out his hand to help her up, just as she finished. Haruko swallowed a lump in her throat. It was the new coach, Maléna. She had the complexion every girl in Shohoku High envied, the height of a supermodel, the elegance of a princess, and the reputation of an incredible player. And she had quickly gained a popularity with the boys.  
  
Everyone talked about her at school. How incredible she was as a player back in America, how she helped her basketball team gain a winning streak that had boosted their confidence, and how beautiful she was. Guys dreamt of her, girls hated her, and the teachers doted over her.  
  
And the team she coached at present absolutely loved her.  
  
'Even Rukawa-kun,' she thought, a little bitter at the thought that Maléna had somehow captured his attention without even having to dress up or apply make-up.  
  
"They seem to spend a lot of time together now," Fuji remarked at their retreating figures.  
  
"I know," Matsui agreed. "But you have to admit, they look every bit like the perfect couple. Both of them are tall, model-athlete types. He's silent and brooding, she's sweet and friendly. He's GQ, she's Cover Girl."  
  
"But that's just exterior. He probably thinks of her as a sister, or she doesn't really like him," she added hastily upon seeing the hurt look that registered on Haruko's face.  
  
Haruko quickly cheered up, but doubts were already forming in her mind. What if they already WERE a couple. What if Rukawa was secretly in love with Maléna? She had to agree with her friends that they looked good together, as if they were really made for each other.   
  
They pursued the subject no further as they neared the tall school building that was Shohoku Senior High. But just when they thought their day was going to be fine, the 'Perfect Couple' passed by, with Maléna jabbering about basketball and Rukawa hanging on to her every word, his gaze fixed completely on her. Not even when Maléna saw them and waved at them in greeting did he take notice.   
  
Haruko was completely crushed. "Why is Rukawa-kun acting this way?" she asked herself. "He never talks to me anymore." (A.N: Hel-looo! Like he ever did in the first place!?!)   
  
Her friends looked sympathetic, but didn't know what else to do. After all, Rukawa Kaede never DID talk to Haruko like a normal person, much less smile. Even the Rukawa Brigade that composed of three annoying freshmen girls didn't put up a fight when their idol had started more or less interacting with the new coach.  
  
And Haruko could only watch as 'her Rukawa-kun' got closer and closer to Maléna Hernandez...  
  
  
***End of Flashback***  
  
  
Squaring her shoulders, she entered the gym, surprised to find only one person inside who was busy shooting three-pointers. Each shot sailed in a smooth arc and swished into the net, as if they were weightless. Haruko had to admit that Maléna was good. Not just at playing basketball and coaching, but good to people like herself.  
  
Maléna looked up from her practice to find Haruko watching her. "Hi there, Haruko. How've you been?"  
  
"Huh? Oh...I've been okay," she replied, watching as the beautiful Hispanic girl continued her shooting practice. She was completely caught off-guard. Why was Maléna so friendly to her? Was it because Rukawa was already completely hers?  
  
Clearing her throat, Haruko neared the tall, auburn-haired girl, mustering all her courage to ask her...  
  
"Maléna...what do you think of Rukawa-kun?"  
  
The aforementioned girl grinned, continuing her practice. "Well, he's still pretty human in my opinion. I don't just look at him as a player, but as someone I can talk to if need be," came the reply.  
  
"Do you..." she paused. "...do you like him?"  
  
Maléna stilled and slowly turned to face her. "Yes, I do," she answered.   
  
Grey-green orbs peered into dark brown irises. "But it's hard to explain," Maléna continued. "One minute I think to myself that I am training the coldest guy on the planet, the next minute I can sense that there's more to him than just basketball."   
  
One shoulder lifted in a half-shrug. "Maybe I'm being silly, but I know that underneath that cold exterior is a genuine person. Peculiar, yes, but reliable. Just like Hanamichi is, in his own loud-mouthed way."   
  
It was true that Rukawa and Hanamichi were polar opposites, but Maléna sensed that beneath their rivalry was a bond of friendship that bordered on brotherly. Even if they constantly fought, both boys respected each other, although their macho pride demanded that they not show it.   
  
But why was Haruko asking her about this?  
  
"What about you, Haruko? How much do YOU like Rukawa?" the six-footer asked, lobbing the ball into Haruko's court, wanting to know the answer.  
  
When she remained silent, Maléna knew that Haruko had missed the shot. "Do you like him as a basketball player? As a campus big shot? Or am I wrong and you like him because he's pretty much as human and as alive as you or me?" she continued.  
  
Haruko swallowed. She could sense that Maléna was waiting for an answer, but she couldn't speak. It was as if something was lodged in her throat that she couldn't spit out.  
  
'Why is she acting so calm about all of this?' she wondered. 'Is it because...'   
  
'Is Rukawa her boyfriend?'  
  
Haruko hadn't realized that she had spoken aloud until...  
  
"What did you say?" a voice asked.   
  
She tore her gaze from the gym floor only to find herself reflected in curious grey-green irises. "I...I was...well, I was just wondering...Maléna-san..." the petite freshmen stammered.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you...do you have...that is, any..." she shook her head to clear it before finally asking, "Are you and Rukawa-kun a couple now?"  
  
That did it. The gym was eerily hushed for what seemed like eternity until Maléna held up a newsprint with a picture of her and Rukawa when she treated him and Hanamichi out to dinner, shaking with suppressed outrage. Above it was a caption that read: 'America's Basketball Princess hooks up with Kanagawa's Super Rookie!'  
  
"You read THIS? Are you actually reading TABLOID FODDER?!" she demanded, her voice rising dangerously. A ball of fire rolled around in her gut. Haruko BELIEVED the rumors? That explained the weird looks she and Rukawa had received that morning and the hushed murmurs she heard throughout the school as she passed the corridors leading to the gym. The said issue had sold hot off the press into the waiting hands of the public.   
  
"Well...I...It's just that you've been spending so much time together, I thought that ~"  
  
"You didn't think, Haruko," Maléna interrupted, not bothering to mask her growing anger. "You ASSUMED."  
  
Before Haruko could reply, she went on. "You assumed that because Rukawa spends time with me that we're a couple. Either that, or because I'm a lonely American girl in a foreign country who needs release and the only way I would find it was if I grabbed the nearest boy in my vicinity, am I right? I have had enough of these rumors and hearing you ask a question like that changes my perception of you."   
  
"Let me be honest with you, Haruko. I thought you different. I thought you'd never be like any of Rukawa's groupies and I respected you because you were Akagi's younger sister."   
  
"It turns out that you're a big disappointment. I never thought you'd succumb to pining over the only known walking iceberg in the world. You've let yourself become one of the girls you despise the most and hating me for doing my job as a coach is not helping any. Grow up, for the love of God, Haruko! You're a 16-year-old, not a 6-year-old! And as far as my lovelife is concerned, that is my business, not yours!"  
  
"Our conversation is finished," Maléna said, picking up the basketball and tossing it into the ring with one hand. "You may leave."  
  
Without another word, Akagi Haruko turned and left, too stunned to even think of what to say.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
"She blew you off?"  
  
Haruko nodded, swallowing. "She...she called me one of Rukawa-kun's groupies."  
  
Both her friends looked at each other over her head and nodded in agreement. That Maléna certainly was observant. And she had done something they didn't have the heart to do. Tell Haruko a bit of reality.  
  
"I'm not one of those girls! I don't wear those silly pink costumes and wave pompoms in the air, squealing like a pig!"  
  
Fuji and Matsui never realized until now how wrong it was to have encouraged Haruko's infatuation. Every teenager was entitled to have their own crushes and all, and Haruko wasn't an exception.   
  
"Haruko, listen to me. I think what you just did was insult Maléna with what you said. Whether she and Rukawa DO have a relationship is none of anyone's business. Not me, not those groupies…not even you," Fuji said, trying to sound as gentle as possible so as not to hurt Haruko's feelings.  
  
"But you two told me that Rukawa-kun may be thinking about me. I mean, what about the time when I called out to him and he actually stopped…he looked at me and…" Haruko stopped when Matsui interrupted.  
  
"He stopped because you CALLED OUT, Haruko. That's what mostly people with normal hearing do when someone calls out their name. And also, you happen to be the younger sister of his superior, the captain of the basketball club," Matsui pointed out, somehow nearing the end of her patience in trying to make Haruko see the light.  
  
"W-what are you saying?" Haruko asked, somehow knowing what the answer already was.  
  
"Haruko, we don't think he was ever interested in you. Our biggest mistake was to encourage you into thinking so. I mean, the guy's life revolves around basketball and if he wanted a girlfriend in the first place, he could've gotten himself one. If he wasn't so engrossed in basketball, he wouldn't be sleeping in class all the time or riding his bike while still in dreamland," Fuji said in a fast pace, not wanting to back out on telling her friend the truth about what she thought.  
  
"But I love him! I do!" More to herself that to Fuji or Matsui.  
  
"What makes you so sure, huh? Yeah, you've said many times already that you love him but that it was a one-sided love. But if you really love him, what do you know about him? When you love someone, you at least have an idea on what kind of a person that he is aside from the persona that he usually displays to everyone. Given the fact that he's so silent, one would think he's mute or so cold that one would think he's not even human."   
  
Something in Fuji wanted her to stop as Haruko's eyes turned moist, but this was the compensation for making Haruko assume a lot of things. Maléna was right. Tabloid fodder wasn't any philosophical writings about people's lives but just a cheap way of earning money by smattering the pages with lies and half-cooked truths.   
  
Haruko looked dumbly at Fuji, trying to think of what she did know about Rukawa, wanting to prove to her that she did love him. She was beginning to feel hatred towards the two of them. They agreed with Maléna! She thought they were her friends and they agreed with the girl who had stolen Rukawa from her.  
  
"I do know something about Rukawa-kun! He got into the Mythical Five of Kanagawa, he scores an average of 26 points per game, he wears the number 11 on his jersey, he gets roughly 4 rebounds per game, he ~"  
  
"What?! Those are Rukawa's BASKETBALL STATISTICS! Haruko, the only Rukawa you love is the one who plays basketball like an obssesion. You don't love the real person behind him. I mean, do you even know what he likes to eat? Do you know what kind of TV programs he likes to watch? Do you know if he's ticklish? Do you know if he likes to be cuddled? What else do you know about Rukawa except that he's an excellent basketball player?" Fuji continued to barrage Haruko with questions that could help her to get back her common sense.  
  
Haruko looked at them with tears running down her cheeks. Reality came crashing down like a ton of bricks. She didn't know what he liked to eat, she didn't know what kind of TV programs he liked to watch, she didn't know if he was ticklish, she didn't know if he liked to be cuddled.   
  
She knew absolutely nothing about him. Yet for the truth that they had said, she couldn't help but resent them for that. Because she knew it was what she hid from herself for some time now. That she had no reason to really love him except for his being 'Rukawa the Super Rookie.'  
  
What was it that Maléna had mentioned earlier about Rukawa? That she could sense a genuine person under that cold exterior? That she felt there was more to Rukawa than just basketball? That she thought of him as someone she could talk to if need be? How could Maléna know all these things and not her?  
  
'Because she doesn't have to pretend...because she's true to herself...because she's someone you can never be and can never hope to imitate...because she's Maléna and you're Haruko...nothing more...'  
  
That small voice inside her head ended her girlish fantasy in one fell swoop and Haruko promptly burst into sobs. "Why can't I be her? What is it that Rukawa saw in her, anyway? There must be something she has that I don't," she blubbered, unsuccessfully trying to wipe away her tears.  
  
Fuji embraced her then, with Matsui patting her back to soothe her. "There, there...it's okay. We're to blame the most because we didn't tell you the truth in the first place, Haruko...it's not your fault."  
  
The girl in her arms looked up, sniffling. "I can never hope to be like her, Fuji...she's just so perfect!"   
  
There was a hint of contempt in her voice that Matsui wanted to tamp down completely. "Haruko, she's her own person and you're yourself. And she's not perfect at all...I read a recent autobiography written by her parents and do you know what I found?"   
  
Matsui paused to make sure Haruko was listening before she continued.  
  
"She was once dirt-poor, with hardly enough food to eat for a day. She was so sickly, her family thought she would die before she saw her seventh birthday. Do you know by now how lucky you were as a child, compared to what she had to go through? If you could only see her pictures as a kid in that book, you would hardly recognize her."  
  
"Just ask her...get to know more about her and you'll find out that she's been through worse and survived. Haruko, she's not someone to be hated because of her reputation and her present status. You have to look past all that," Matsui finished, nearly breathless from narrating the more painful parts of Maléna's past.   
  
"We're not asking you to get over Rukawa right away, Haruko...These things take time, we know that. All that we're asking you to do is be a little more rational, a little more level-headed about things. As your friends, we would rather tell you the truth before you hear it from other people and get even MORE hurt. Do you understand?" Fuji handed her friend a tissue, smiling gently, comfortingly.  
  
"And we're sorry again for not telling you sooner," she added.   
  
Haruko only nodded mutely, still too overwhelmed to talk about anything. Her friends wisely said nothing more and hustled her off to the classroom before they went to the gym to talk to Maléna.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Maléna sat quietly on the benches with the basketball at her feet, leafing through the tabloid pages and desperately trying to control herself from going over the edge.  
  
'Damn them! No matter where I go, they write about me. They actually have the guts to splash me on the front page!' she ground her teeth, her hands crumpling the sides of the paper.   
  
She SHOULD have gotten used to the attention the media was giving her by now, but facing cameras, popping lightbulbs, paparrazi, microphones and tape recorders still unnerved her to no end. Though she had gained more professionalism in dealing with them, inside she cried out for them to leave her alone and she sometimes wished she had never joined Team USA.  
  
'Good God, Maléna! You KNEW this was going to happen! You knew that once you made that crucial decision, everything would change for you! You'd be under public scrutiny and your life would practically be under a microscope!' a voice yelled at her, pounding her brain and making her angrier with herself.  
  
"It was a matter of life and death for my family! I HAD to make a choice!" she shouted back. "I never wanted this! I never wanted what I have now, but my family NEEDED to be saved! I was the only one who saved them! The only one!"  
  
"...Maléna-san..."  
  
She looked up to find two girls standing by the doorway, looking very unsure. No doubt they had witnessed her sudden outburst and she felt the embarrassment creep in. Smiling weakly, she motioned for them to step inside.   
  
They looked very familiar, but with the faces she had seen and the names she had been introduced to, it was quite difficult to recall. All she remembered was that she had seen them hanging out with Haruko during practice.   
  
Thinking about Haruko made Maléna feel guilty. She had not meant to throw a tantrum and raise her voice at the girl, but things had just become so stressful for her and she had gotten easily affected by the early morning issue that was selling like hotcakes.   
  
"Are you Haruko's friends?" she asked.  
  
They nodded.  
  
Closing her eyes, Maléna searched her memory bank for their names. "Ummm...let me see...I think you're uh...Fuji, I think was your name...and you're Matsui...probably."   
  
Scratching her head, she grinned sheepishly before sighing. "Sorry, I seem to be forgetting names. I meet a lot of people and they're mostly faceless so I forget...But I DO try my best to remember."   
  
Fuji shook her head. "Iie...it's okay. We understand."  
  
For a while, neither of them spoke until Maléna opened her mouth. "I take it you already know the argument I had with Haruko a while back. I'm sorry I never gave her a chance to explain. It was wrong of me to flare up at her for something she didn't mean to do." She sighed again, running a hand through her hair.  
  
Maléna looked so tired just then and a whole lot older to them as they sat down on the benches. In the harsh light, she looked like a 20-year-old, not a 16-year-old. The dejected slump of the Latina's shoulders told them as much and both Fuji and Matsui felt sorry for her as much as they felt sorry for Haruko.   
  
"I'm sure Haruko's very much hurt and insulted and I am very sorry for what I had yelled at her to her face. I guess I'm still not used to the fact that I'm living a life under the eye of the public now. I regret not behaving maturely and ~"  
  
"You did nothing wrong, Maléna-san," Fuji interrupted kindly, hesitating a bit before she finally placed her right hand on a slender arm.  
  
"Uh...can we lose the -san part? I get a little uncomfortable with that, too."   
  
Matsui smiled. Maléna was still as normal as her next-door neighbor. "You had a right to feel that way about what Haruko assumed. And you had the right to react the way you did to what was written about you that wasn't true. But you see, it's not very easy for her to see you get along so easily with the guy she's been crushing on for a long time."  
  
The red-head looked thoughtful. "I do remember Ayako mentioning Haruko's crush on Rukawa, but I didn't think it was that serious. I even told Ayako that 'fixation' was too strong a word to describe that. Maybe I should step back so Haruko can talk to him. I must have been taking up too much of his time. It's my fault she feels that way."  
  
Matsui looked as surprised as Fuji. Never in their lives had they come across a person who looked like one big walking guilt trip! Here they were, trying to tell Maléna that she was NOT AT FAULT, but she was taking the blame upon herself! For a moment, they saw the person she truly was and not the celebrity athlete she had become and their admiration for her grew.   
  
"We're the ones most at fault, Maléna. We encouraged Haruko's feelings and because of that, she thought Rukawa had feelings for her, even if only a little bit. When you first arrived and Rukawa started following you around, even if he did it unconsciously, Haruko started to feel bitter about the fact that you caught her crush's attention so easily."  
  
"To make matters worse, we STILL encouraged her, making her think you were blatantly flirting with Rukawa. So you see, Maléna, the fault was never with you. It was with us. We didn't act like the true friends we should have been and tell her that it was already obvious that Rukawa was already showing interest in you from the very start. The fact that you didn't seem to notice it added to Haruko's bitterness. She told us you had stolen Rukawa from her."   
  
"Exactly why I should let those two have time to talk," Maléna replied, looking down at the newsprint that now lay covering the basketball.  
  
Fuji shook her head. "Even if you did, things would be awkward and Rukawa would be thrust into a position he wouldn't like. The best thing we can do is give each other time..."  
  
For a while Maléna was quiet, bending down to pick up the basketball from underneath the tabloid. She stared at the orange sphere in her hands for a long moment and then she looked at the both of them, a look of forgiveness written all over her face. "Then I'll talk to Haruko later. I think it would be best to patch things up. The sooner, the better."  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
She wouldn't stop crying. All throughout her class, only her sniffles were audible in the quiet classroom. The teacher diagnosed a mild cold and whisked her away to the clinic. Only her friends knew that it wasn't a cold, but a girl who had just been doused with an ice cold bucket of water known as truth.  
  
As soon as Haruko had left for the clinic, a gentle knock on their classroom door brought them to attention. When the teacher slid it open, he was more than surprised to see Maléna standing outside. He had to take a few steps back just to see her face as she towered over him by more than a head.  
  
"Oh...Maléna...This is such a surprise for you to come to our class. Is there a problem?" Everyone, especially the boys turned their attention to the doorway, leaning forward to catch bits of the conversation.  
  
"I was just wondering if Akagi Haruko is here, sensei. I'd like to borrow her for a while if you may."  
  
The teacher shook his head and smiled politely. "You just missed her. I sent her to the clinic. I think she has a mild cold."  
  
"Okay...then I will see her there. Arigato gozaimasu, sensei." She bowed respectfully to the teacher, turned swiftly on her heel and was gone.  
  
Clapping his hands to bring their attention to the front, the teacher began furiously writing sentences on the board. "Now, let's proceed to logical fallacies, class. Open your textbooks to page 87," he droned on, ignoring the reluctant groans from the students.   
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
Akagi Haruko had been lying on the sofa for quite some time when she heard the door open, telling her that someone had just entered. She couldn't see who it was as her view was blocked by the curtain, but when the nurse opened it, she stiffened.   
  
There standing right in front of her was the girl who was the cause of her misery. Her resentment boiled to the surface, but in her anger she couldn't speak, she couldn't lash out. She just lay there, staring into those grey-green eyes, her vexation making her mute.  
  
It was Maléna who spoke first. "I came here to speak to you, Haruko. And I think I owe you an apology."   
  
Haruko was surprised. Definitely, totally surprised. The girl was apologizing to her now? But her face hardened again, remembering that the person standing in front of her was the one who had stolen her love.   
  
The taller lass pulled out a chair, bringing it in front of her and straddling it, like she usually did during team practice. Everyone knew that was her accustomed sitting position.   
  
"I'm sorry for saying all those mean things to your face, Haruko. It wasn't very fair of me."  
  
"But," she added. "That's not the only reason why I'm here. I came here to talk to you about Rukawa."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," Haruko suddenly snapped, averting her gaze to the ceiling.   
  
Maléna sighed, ignoring that comment. She then decided that it would be best to tell everything straight instead of beating around the bush. It certainly wasn't going to work in a situation like this.   
  
"You know, I have to admit the guy is good-looking. Although not good-looking enough for me to swoon at his feet. I'm 6'2" and that would make me look really stupid and clumsy," she smiled, trying to imagine herself 'swooning' in front of the rookie. It was a ridiculous picture that tickled her so much she giggled.  
  
Seeing that Haruko was giving her a weird look, she quickly collected herself together. "Your friends talked to me a while back. I think we need to clarify a few things about Rukawa now. About how you feel about him, how I feel about him, and what we should put aside about him."   
  
"He likes you. It's so obvious," Haruko spat out bitterly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Gone was the shy, meek freshman Maléna once saw. In her place was a girl so full of resentment it nearly overflowed.  
  
Maléna shook her head disbelievingly. "You're the second person to say that, after Ayako. And really now, I find that quite laughable. There's nothing extraordinay about me and I never considered myself attractive in the first place. I hate a lot of things about myself, Haruko, did I ever tell you that?"  
  
"I hate my hair color, the way my hair frizzes out if I don't blow-dry it. I hate that I'm too thin for my height. I hate the way my butt sticks out, I don't like my height at all since I could never get a date. All the boys I ever liked found me too skinny at one time, too tall another time and too much of a bitch, as well. I hate the way my shoulders seem to slump most of the time, and no matter how much I exercised, I could never get the broad-shouldered look I wanted. The only thing I ever liked about myself since I was a kid was the color of my eyes."  
  
"When Ayako told me about Rukawa, do you know what my first reaction was? I laughed. I laughed so hard I thought my sides would split. And do you know that he insulted me and that I had to beat him to gain at least a smidgen of respect from him?"   
  
"Haruko, I'm not nice to him all the time. In fact, I yell at him more often than the others on the team. That's another thing I'm trying to change: the bad temper I inherited from my father," she wrinkled her nose at the mere mention of her infamous temper. Definitely Spanish, everyone had remarked, the first time she had lost her temper and slapped Hanamichi.   
  
Maléna's mother was as gentle as her father was strict, and even her older brothers took after him in that department. Only Neil had been the gentle one in the family. She shook her head, trying to erase the painful memories of her youngest brother. 'Cancel, cancel,' she told herself, noticing all of a sudden that Haruko was sitting up, listening to her.   
  
"Why do you yell at Rukawa?"   
  
She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because we're both stubborn and I usually like having the last word. And because he insulted me. He said that a girl like me could never be good at basketball. I was so angry that he had stereotyped me that I wanted to prove him wrong. And I did. Very easily, I must add. He made me so fighting mad, I itched to break that nose of his and give him two black eyes. And maybe give him a mouthful of broken teeth, too."   
  
Grinning sheepishly at the look of shock that registered on Haruko's face, Maléna scratched the back of her head. "Hehe...I knew my revelation would shock you. Ayako nearly fell out of the chair when I told her. Usually, I ignore people who try to get my goat and I try to be patient most of the time, but Rukawa succeeded in bringing out the worst of me. I don't know if he revels in provoking people to anger or if he just doesn't know how to act civilized towards others."  
  
A brief smile flickered then died, replaced with a look of sadness. "But he likes you, Maléna. He follows you around, he walks with you to school, he hangs out with you after practice, he goes near you most of the time just to get you to talk to him...and I've seen him stare at you so many times already when you were busy with the others."  
  
Maléna reached out and patted Haruko on the shoulder. "You can't make me believe that very easily, Haruko. I'm very stubborn, like I told you earlier. All I can see in Rukawa right now is that he has the makings of a great basketball player with extremely poor people skills. He listens to me, yes, but only because I told him that I'm more comfortable around him and Hanamichi than the rest of the guys. And if he DOES stare at me like you say so, it's most probably because he's planning on how to defeat me."  
  
Haruko sighed just then, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "He sees something in you that I don't have. You should be happy that you have the attention of the most sought-after guy on campus...everyone envies you, can't you see?"   
  
"And I envy them as well. I envy everyone else around me," came the soft reply, surprising Haruko the nth time that day.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I want a normal life. Because I want my life to be the way it was before. Nevermind that I was once poor, but I would rather have that than live like this, always having to smile for people because they expect me to be so perfect. I can't do any crazy stuff because my reputation as a clean-cut person puts restrictions. While you...you people are just so lucky to do whatever you want without being judged by anyone else..."  
  
Maléna put her arms around the smaller girl, feeling the familiar wetness of tears on her shoulder as Haruko returned the hug, crying her heart out. How many times had she once cried like that when she was little? How many times had she once wept because she pitied her family so much for having to suffer because of her? That pity was what led her to decide, what led her to finally cling to the knife's edge in the hopes of saving them.  
  
Sympathy be damned. She was pathetic. She felt this way because she had nothing but the best intentions in mind that later put her life to risk.She was no longer normal. She had to choke down on her bean curd and swallow it bravely, as she continued to deal with vultures that flocked to her, trying to drain her of energy, trying to exhaust her of everything and finding her weakness.   
  
In the silence that followed, Maléna then realized that Haruko had forgiven her.  
  
And she wanted to become her friend.  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
TBC  
  
Author's notes: I apologize that this Haruko-bashing scene truned out to be longer than I thought...This wasn't what I had in mind! ::smacks forhead against the monitor:: Don't worry, minna! The three-on-three will DEFINITELY be in the next chapter! Enjoy! 


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Reminiscing, A 3on3 an...

Notes: And now ::drum roll:: the chapter EVERYONE has been waiting for! Lots of flashback scenes where Maléna is concerned, so it could get confusing...  
  
Special thanks to:  
  
*Seranida for her suggestions and constructive criticisms.  
  
*Blue Lady for her additions of conversations and for going along with my portrayal of Sendoh.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Reminiscing, A 3-on-3 and Utter Confusion  
  
  
  
  
  
"Tell us more about yourself."  
  
Maléna opened her eyes and turned to the source of the voice, staring up into icy deep-set eyes that seemed to bore holes into her. That didn't intimidate her one bit. Instead, she grinned and propped herself up on her elbows, facing the open sea. Other pairs of eyes turned their attention towards her, all eager.  
  
"Grandfather was once called the White-haired Devil, right?"  
  
Several heads nodded.  
  
"But you call him the White-haired Buddha now?"  
  
Again, the same heads nodded.  
  
Maléna's lips quirked up in a small smile. "Hmmm...He was more of a devil with me than a Buddha, as I recall. All those shots I had to do everyday, the dribbling techniques, and the drills...but being around him was not a bother to me. He was strict but I could see in his eyes that he loved me very much. However, my training was limited to just practicing in the nearby halfcourt."  
  
  
  
***Flashback***  
  
  
  
"No, no, no! That's wrong, Maléna! Bend your knees and use your wrists. You can't rely on arm power or else you lose your stamina too early!"  
  
It was getting late. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange halo on the figures of a stout old man and a young girl on a deserted halfcourt. Sweat beaded on the young girl's forehead and slowly trickled down her porcelain cheeks before finally splashing onto the rapidly-cooling cement. They had been at it for almost the whole day and her grandfather showed no signs of wanting to go home.  
  
"Do it from the beginning," Anzai instructed his granddaughter, readjusting his glasses.  
  
Maléna groaned. "Grandfather, please! I'm very anxious to go home and crash on the couch. My body feels like lead. I'm hardly graceful anymore," she complained. The old man didn't even crack a smile.  
  
"Do as I say!" he ordered.  
  
And so, on went the training, with Maléna continuously shooting three- pointers, pushing her small frame to its limits. A part of her didn't understand why she was taking this much punishment, but another part of her wanted it.  
  
That night, as she crept downstairs for a midnight snack, she overheard her grandfather talking with her parents. The voices were muffled, but when she pressed an ear to the door, she discovered she could hear them quite well...  
  
"Maléna has potential, Akiko. She's very determined to learn how to play. And I can see she takes every measure to improve. She will be great. Miguel, you have to take care of your daughter. She has immense talent inside her."  
  
Akiko Hernandez nee Anzai looked at her father. Beneath the strict appearance, she saw a genuine love for her precious only daughter and she understood how much he wanted to bring out Maléna's potential.  
  
"Otousama, 'Léna-chan is still very young. We can't tell what the future holds in store for her, but we are with her all the way and we will love her, no matter what her choice may be. That's all we can say. It will be entirely Maléna's decision."  
  
On the other side of the door, Maléna felt her heartbeat quicken. 'I will be great? Grandfather thinks I will be great?' She backed up against the wall of the dingy apartment, sliding down to the floor to sit.  
  
Firm footfalls told her someone else was there and she looked up to find her little brother smiling down at her.  
  
Neil Isaac, with the same grey-green eyes and the same mess of red hair that belonged to her. Her little brother who offered words of comfort when the chips were down, who smiled even though in a crisis. Neil, with a band of freckles dusted across his nose...the person who inspired her to play basketball.  
  
"I told you so. You WILL be great, sis. You're destined for great things," he whispered, before heading back to his room.  
  
The very next day, Maléna Hernandez signed up to join the basketball club.  
  
  
  
***End of Flashback***  
  
  
  
Her audience was listening with rapt attention as she continued. "When I did get to join the basketball club in school, there was Coach Anderson. Looking at her, you'd think she was sweet and all and couldn't hurt a fly. But she wasn't," Maléna smiled ruefully. "She wasn't..."  
  
  
  
***Flashback***  
  
  
  
"Miss Hernandez! Are you missing those shots on purpose?!" A petite woman with wavy brown hair demanded.  
  
"No, coach...My arms are numb," replied a sweat-drenched girl from the free- throw line.  
  
"I don't have time for your whiny-assed excuses! If all you can do is complain about something like that, leave the team! You aren't needed in here!" the older woman snapped, ignoring the tears welling up in the newcomer's eyes.  
  
  
  
***End of Flashback***  
  
  
  
"My training was very difficult...Everyday, I went home crying. God, I absolutely HATED the thought of facing Coach Anderson that I desperately wanted to quit," she softly went on, staring out into the sea, watching as the tide slowly came in.  
  
"But Grandfather didn't want me to quit. Not while I had a breath left in my body. So I just kept pushing myself further on. One day during practice, Coach Anderson got majorly ticked off when I failed to block Lakisha, our center, so she pulled me off to the side and started screaming at me for losing my concentration."  
  
"But I wasn't feeling well that day because I had caught a 24-hour bug and I just fainted in front of her...When I came to, I was in the clinic with no one else except my coach. We had this argument and I ended up saying so many things to her face about how insulted I was that she didn't seem to care about how much I strived. She just sat there, listening to everything and when I had finished..."  
  
  
  
***Flashback***  
  
  
  
"Do you know why I'm doing this? Do you have any idea why, Maléna?"  
  
"I'm sorry coach, I don't. All I know is that you love to torture me, you love to insult me, and you just hate me." Wounded green eyes met glittering amber, the sadness slowly dissipating to be replaced with anger.  
  
"Well then, you have to get used to it. Because everyone else will be doing that to you when you get to the top."  
  
  
  
***End of Flashback***  
  
  
  
"And would you believe it? After we won our game against Lincoln High, a scout approached me and asked me if I was willing to sign a contract with Team USA...I signed and the rest is history as the old cliché goes," the 16- year-old finished, grinning up at her captive audience.  
  
Kogure looked really impressed. "Wow! You went through all of that with Anzai-sensei and then your coach?"  
  
Maléna nodded. "Yup. A lot of blood, a lot of sweat, a lot of pain and a lot of time...I sacrificed all of that," she said, pushing herself up from her half-lying position to an Indian sit as she stared down at her slightly- callused hands, worn from arduous training and long hours of stress and strain.  
  
Mitsui gave a low whistle, shaking his head. "I think the training you're giving us is only a fourth of what you went through."  
  
That remark made her giggle. "No, Mitsui. I'm training you guys EXACTLY the way I was trained."  
  
"HONTO NI?!!!" the team chorused, making Maléna double over in laughter.  
  
"You didn't notice? Well, that's good. At least that tells me I don't have Coach Anderson's disposition or else you would figure out that I just used her techniques as well as some of my own."  
  
The light banter continued on until sunset, with their laughter filling the salty sea air, carried throughout the beach by the ocean breeze. When it was time to go home, everyone was reluctant to leave, so relaxing the place had become to them. But the day was nearly done and tomorrow, a crucial three-on-three was going to take place.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
The purple of twilight cast its shadows on two figures that sat on the edge of the shoreline, watching silently as the waves lapped up onto the sand. Finally, one of the figures turned towards the other and smiled.  
  
"Keep doing what you're doing. It's very refreshing to see someone as hardworking and as determined as yourself doing everything to get better."  
  
"........." The other figure only looked out into the dark line of the horizon, his handsome eyes reflecting the distant twinkle of a lighthouse.  
  
Maléna sighed and took off her shoes, unmindful of Rukawa's stare. She smiled wistfully then, wiggling her toes in the soft sand. 'Twilight on the beach...silhouetted by the sea, the moon and the stars...how very...romantic and clichéd,' she laughed to herself.  
  
"Why are you laughing?"  
  
She shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just happy."  
  
".....You confuse me."  
  
Incredulous grey-green looked into icy midnight blue. "Do I? You confuse me sometimes, too, Rukawa. So that just makes us even." She grinned and stretched her legs out, drumming her fingers on her lap as she continued to stare up at the sky.  
  
He didn't answer. Instead, he surprised her by reaching out to take her smaller hand in his own, tracing the calluses with one long finger. "You have very delicate hands," he stated quietly, continuing to trace random patterns on the palm of her hand, staring at the candle-shaped fingers that were of ivory.  
  
"And you're becoming very poetic. Not to mention corny," Maléna smirked, tensing at first when he held her palm up, then relaxing when his fingers brushed every part of her hand with maddeningly light caresses that made her breath hitch.  
  
She felt embarrassed that her hands were so rough and she wanted to pull away from his grasp, if only to hide them. But he didn't take notice of that. He just kept his hold on her wrist, feeling each contour of her palm with gentle fingers that were just as callused as her own.  
  
Hers were the hands that knew hard work. Surprisingly, that was the only part of her that wasn't silky-smooth, but he found himself admiring that. She had beautiful fingers. Long, tapered and graceful, fit for playing a musical instrument like a piano or violin. For a moment, Rukawa wondered how Maléna's hand would feel against his cheek, or how she would run her hands through his hair, massaging his scalp and...  
  
He jerked his hands away, releasing his hold on her and went back to glaring at the distant lights of the fishing boats. "Let's go home," he muttered, getting up and dusting the sand away from his jeans, back to being completely cold and detached.  
  
He waited until she had put on her shoes before he helped her up and began the walk home.  
  
Maléna, on the other hand, was in total confusion. Rukawa was definitely a walking enigma. It was as if he didn't know how to act around her. He just kept reverting from being polite to brusque, from being insensitive to gentle, from passive to passionate. Just what was he trying to pull off?  
  
She was getting tired and frustrated, the more time she spent with him. Just when he would start to open up to her (more or less), he'd pull the blinders over himself once again, shielding her from getting to know the deeper part of him.  
  
'God help me, Rukawa! You're driving me crazy! The weird thing is, I don't seem to mind at all.'  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Ten o' clock of Saturday morning was a jumble of nerves as the Shohoku players assembled at the Akagi Residence before the three-on-three would begin. Earlier that same year, Hanamichi had also challenged the Shoyo and Ryonan players to a friendly match, but this was the first time a girl was one of the players. And Maki hadn't been in that friendly game either.  
  
"Are you sure Maléna isn't at home?" Kogure wanted to know.  
  
Miyagi nodded. "Called her as soon as I woke up. Nobody answered the phone and it went busy after ten rings."  
  
"Where can she be?" Mitsui wondered, wiping his palms on his jeans. "She couldn't have chickened out, could she?"  
  
Haruko was fidgeting, pacing the room anxiously as Fuji and Matsui tried to calm her down. She hoped Maléna wasn't sick. She desperately wanted to see her newfound friend beat the living crap out of the three star players. But was that going to be too much for her to handle?  
  
Rukawa remained silent. He already knew where to find her. Without another word, he walked back to his bike, swinging one long leg over it and prepared to cycle off.  
  
Hanamichi cut him off. "Oi, Kitsune! Where the hell are YOU headed off to? Did you kidnap Maléna?"  
  
"Do'aho...She's already there this very minute."  
  
Understanding what he meant, the rest of the cagers -- along with Ayako, Haruko and her friends, the Sakuragi gundan and the Rukawa shinetai -- headed to the said half-court.  
  
When they got there, the strains of a violin solo reached their ears, ringing out with clarity through the tall hedges. Both Hanamichi and Rukawa already knew that there was only one person who could play that beautifully.  
  
Sure enough, they found Maléna standing in the middle of the court with her violin under her chin and the bow smoothly gliding across the strings, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, sometimes swaying as the music coming from her instrument began to crescendo, building up until an incredible finish.  
  
Everyone just stood there with their jaws hanging open as the last note lingered in the air. Maléna hadn't even noticed they were there until Akagi started clapping his hands, startling her. The others joined in and she smiled, walking over to them.  
  
"Sugoi!" Ayako breathed, shaking her head in amazement. Miyagi could only nod in agreement. "You never told us you could play THAT well," he said.  
  
Maléna gave a half-shrug. "It's just another thing I'm very passionate about."  
  
Akagi grinned. "Vivaldi, third movement from 'Summer.' Am I right?"  
  
She nodded. "You definitely know your music, Akagi. That was one of the most difficult violin solos I had to master last year."  
  
"But enough of violin," she said, changing the subject. "Are we all game?" she asked, eyeing her teammates and the rest of the people there to cheer them on.  
  
"YOSH!!!" Everyone chorused.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"You're sure about this?" Uozumi demanded.  
  
Sendoh merely grinned at his sempai, walking amidst his teammates. "Yeah," he replied.  
  
To their surprise, Shoyo and Kainan joined them and began walking towards the halfcourt, anticipation making their adrenaline rush. This was going to be one hell of a game.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Hey, look! It's Ryonan!" Ookuso shouted, pointing at the nearing figures.  
  
"And Shoyo!" added Noma.  
  
"Don't forget Kainan," Takamiya muttered.  
  
Mitsui's eyes crossed. 'Do these guys always have to be so jumpy?' he grumbled to himself, watching as their three rival schools came up, along with a few of their supporters.  
  
The court was beginning to crowd in and everyone knew the game would soon take place. Maléna pulled Miyagi and Akagi to the sidelines, addressing them in hushed tones. "Guys...can you do offscreen?"  
  
"Huh? What do you mean?" the sophomore asked, a little confused. Akagi mirrored the same look.  
  
"I mean, can you do an offscreen play? That just might work against these guys."  
  
They nodded, the smile fading from Miyagi's face. "Sure. But that's going to be risky if I'm going to block those two."  
  
Maléna grinned this time. "You won't have to," she said, before placing a hand on Akagi's shoulder. "Because Akagi will be doing the blocking."  
  
"Huh? B-but...I can't shoot THAT far!" Miyagi protested, his eyes widening a trifle bit.  
  
Maléna patted his back, looking strangely confident. "You can, Miyagi. Believe me, you CAN," she said quietly, walking towards the court with him and Akagi in tow.  
  
Sendoh, Maki, and Fujima were already out on the court, talking excitedly among themselves and anxious for the game to begin. Just how good was Maléna against them, Sendoh had to wonder. But with the way Fujima and Maki were talking about her, he knew she'd be giving them more than what they would expect. His train of thought was interrupted when he heard her voice ring in clear tones.  
  
"Alright, listen up! This will be a 30-minute game. First team to make the most baskets, wins. Good luck!" Maléna said as they assembled for the free throw.  
  
"Don't hold back from me just because I'm a girl," she warned all three aces. "I want you guys to play against me like you normally do. Show me your full potential."  
  
The ball was hers, and she stepped out of the three-point line to make the first shot as everyone watched with eager anticipation. Youhei turned to Haruko and saw that she was clasping her hands tightly to her chest, silently pleading that Maléna would make the shot and they would win.  
  
"What's she doing?" Fuji asked, looking at the tall Latina on the court.  
  
"It's how they get a three-on-three game to start, or one-on-one. Instead of a jump ball, they shoot one free-throw from the three-point line. If you miss the shot, the ball goes to the opposition. If you don't, the ball's yours," Mitsui explained.  
  
"It sounds confusing," Takamiya remarked, rubbing his double-chin. Noma and Ookuso nodded.  
  
Youhei looked over to the rest of team Shohoku, noticing that most of them were confident, most especially Hanamichi. Turning back to Haruko, he grinned. "Don't worry about a thing. I'm sure it'll be a cinch for 'Léna to beat these guys," he assured the nervous brunette.  
  
'At least I hope so,' he silently added, knowing that fouling Maléna into injury would cost them a lot, especially since she was a lot more delicate than her teammates or the opponents. But seeing the composed look on the redhead's face, he relaxed again.  
  
Maléna bounced the ball twice before taking aim. Bending her knees, she adjusted her hold on the ball, brought it high above her head and snapped her legs straight, following through with her wrist. The ball sailed in a smooth arc and swished into the net. Shohoku had the ball.  
  
Hikoichi stared at Maléna, open-mouthed. "Sugoi! What a beautiful form! I must note her down. Yo check ya!"  
  
'Impressive form,' Sendoh thought, smiling at Maléna.  
  
With the ball in his possession, Miyagi raised a hand, pointing his index finger up to the sky to signal them to get ready and form a play. He smirked, watching as Fujima ran up to prevent him from passing the ball and scoring for their side.  
  
'I'm up against the Shoyo star yet again,' he thought, eyeing the slightly taller boy. 'This oughtta be good.'  
  
If anything, Fujima was one of the best point guards in Kanagawa. Aside from the impressive fact that he was coach, manager and team captain of the Shoyo basketball club, he was also getting attention from prestigious universities for his hardcourt skills. And he was a good match up against Miyagi, second only to Maki in speed and ball handling.  
  
"Pass!" Maléna yelled, getting in front of Maki just in time to catch Miyagi's pass. Turning around to face him, she found him ready, crouched low to mark her. Beads of perspiration were already gathering on her forehead -- partly from the heat of the sun, party from the exertion and the excitement of the game -- as she continued to dribble, eyes continuously searching for an opening.  
  
Then, she found it, quickly passing the ball to Akagi as she dashed out of Maki's reach. Pivoting around, the Shohoku center jumped up for a dunk as Sendoh tried to block. Instead of going for the dunk, Akagi made the ball hit the backboard and watched as a figure rose up behind Sendoh to slam the ball through the hoop.  
  
The crowd went wild as Maléna released her hold on the ring, giving Akagi a high five. "Nice assist!" She told him, patting him on the back. He grunted in reply, just like the gorilla he was called.  
  
The game was getting everyone heated up. The opposition was equally as good, with Fujima and his assists to either Sendoh or Maki. On offense and defense they were quite slippery, with the way they could distract the players.  
  
The minutes ticked by and the scores were brought down to a 2-point lead in Shohoku's favor. A desperation shot from Fujima brought them in the lead, but Akagi countered with his trademark Gorilla Dunk.  
  
They called a timeout and Maléna assembled them together. "You know what to do, right?"  
  
They nodded.  
  
"Okay, we'll win this game then!"  
  
"Maléna, you are one hell of a player," Mitsui remarked when the said girl passed by him.  
  
She threw him a glance and winked. "Thanks for the compliment," she answered back, green eyes twinkling with mirth.  
  
Turning to the Shohoku team captain and the point guard, she nodded slowly. It was time to show the opposition what they were made of.  
  
Maléna had the ball and immediately passed it to Miyagi, watching as Akagi moved backwards. Just as predicted, Sendoh followed Akagi until he found that the center was executing an offscreen play.  
  
But before Sendoh could react, Miyagi had jumped to take the open shot, aiming and then releasing the basketball. It sailed in a wide arc and swooshed into the net, ending the 30-minute game as Mitsui yelled, "Time over!"  
  
The crowd stared in stunned silence as the ball bounced off to the side of the court, the sounds echoing throughout, dimmed momentarily by the passing vehicles. Miyagi still had his arms raised above his head, his brown eyes wide.  
  
"I…" He swallowed. "I did it."  
  
Time seemed to have stopped for everyone, but shocked murmurs coming from the Sakuragi guntai broke the silence. The crowds went wild then, and Maléna ran up to embrace Miyagi and Akagi, not even caring if they smelled of sweat.  
  
Sendoh stood stock-still, his mind still registering the last shot of the game. Fujima placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "We did good."  
  
Feeling elated, Shinichi Maki watched as his teammates ran up to him, clapping him on the back for an exciting three-on-three. He had not gotten Maléna's autograph, but he had gotten the opportunity to play against her and he had established the beginnings of a friendship with her.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Good game...you're a formidable trio to go up against. But practice harder...America is far more different from what you would expect."  
  
Maki nodded, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to get more air in his lungs. "Hai. We will do that, Miss Hernandez."  
  
"It's Maléna, okay, Maki? Not Miss Hernandez. You can skip the formalities with me, you know."  
  
"Okay, Mi-Maléna..."  
  
She smiled and turned to leave, but not before telling them how much she appreciated the fact that they took time off to play basketball with her. "Thank you for the game. You deserve much praise for your skills."  
  
"Wait, Maléna."  
  
"Sendoh? What do you want?"  
  
"Just thought you know, we could spend a little time together, to get to know each other a little better." Sendoh said with a wink.  
  
'This guy sure is smooth.' she thought, amused. "I don't know..." she started.  
  
"Please?" He turned puppy-dog eyes on her.  
  
Maléna couldn't help it, he just looked too adorable. "All right," she laughingly agreed.  
  
Just then, Maléna felt eyes boring through her back. When she turned around to look, Rukawa was scowling at her and Sendoh. When she smiled at him, his scowl just turned blacker. 'What's his problem anyway?' she thought, confused by his behavior.  
  
Sendoh held out his arm for her. "Shall we go, Maléna?"  
  
"Huh?...Oh, of course."  
  
But as they walked away, she had this eerie feeling that Rukawa was still watching them. 'He must find Sendoh's skills intimiditating. That must be the reason for his behavior.' But even as she reasoned this, she had this nagging doubt at the back of her mind that basketball had nothing to do with it.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Brightly-colored lights, neon signs, the bleep of different noisy games and loud techno music from the dance machines, along with the boisterous yells of teenage boys and the flirtatious giggles of young girls filled the Firenze Arcade, the most popular hang-out for the youth in Kanagawa.  
  
Maléna and Sendoh made their way through the crowded arcade, stopping by at the snack bar to grab a bite. Over the loud blare of the music, Maléna asked, "What are we doing here?" raising her voice so the spiky-haired boy could hear her.  
  
"Just thought taking you here would be a welcome change of pace," he answered back.  
  
'I hardly think so,' Maléna thought, trying not to wrinkle her nose at the noise that blared in her ears. But Sendoh was trying to be friendly, so she decided to disregard the fact that she never liked anything too loud, like now. Instead, she concentrated on finishing her snack and making small talk with the Ryonan ace.  
  
Soon enough, the bleeps coming from the various gaming machines attracted Maléna away from the table and Sendoh immediately saw this as an opportunity to challenge her. She was surprised at first, but the glint of quiet confidence returned to her eyes and she smiled.  
  
"What are the terms of this bet?" she asked.  
  
Sendoh smiled his slow, easy smile in reply. "If I win, I get a kiss from you. If you win, I'll do whatever you want me to do."  
  
"You're on!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
As Hanamichi watched Maléna and Sendoh walk off, he noticed that the kitsune was staring after them and he patted Rukawa's shoulder in a gesture of sympathy.  
  
"I can see that you have feelings for her," he said. "And I don't blame you. Léna-chan's got a personality that charms just any guy, plus the looks and brains to match."  
  
"I don't feel anything for her," came the deadpanned reply.  
  
Hanamichi snorted disbelievingly. "Yeah, right! Then why are you glaring in the direction they took? Don't tell me it's because the sun got in your eyes, or something. I know that look anywhere. You're jealous, Kitsune."  
  
"No, I'm not," Rukawa insisted.  
  
"Yes you are. I can see it your eyes, in the way you look at Maléna when you think no one is watching. I can see it in the way you react when she walks by, the way you watch her so protectively as if she could break any minute," the Rebound King pointed out, poking the Super Rookie 's chest with a forefinger.  
  
"It's not wrong to fall in love, kitsune. And I don't mean with just something like basketball. There are so many other things besides basketball that you shouldn't neglect," he finished, his brown eyes serious.  
  
"Do'aho. Basketball will always be my life."  
  
"TEME! Here I am trying to help your lovelife and you're insulting me! Baka kitsune!"  
  
"What can a guy who has been rejected 50 times do to help?"  
  
"Why you...you...you ~!" Hanamichi couldn't think of an appropriate word in his anger and stomped off instead, leaving Rukawa to his thoughts.  
  
'Doushite? It's not like I care that she's with that dumbass anyway,' he reasoned, running a hand through his hair. Then why was there that feeling of anger that was threatening to boil to the surface?  
  
'You're jealous, Rukawa Kaede. Crazy jealous,' a voice spoke up, tinged with amused sympathy. And though he didn't want to admit it, he didn't like the idea of 'Smiley' getting his way with the girl he now deemed as a lion- lady.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Well, I guess I lost to you," Maléna remarked casually, slipping on her jacket as Sendoh opened the door for her. He grinned upon noticing her slight frown as they left the arcade to the Anzai residence. It turned out that Anzai-sensei's granddaughter wasn't much of an arcade patron, since she hardly knew how to play Tekken or race against him. He had easily won by a mile and had not let her live that down.  
  
In the back of his mind, he remembered the little bet they had earlier and he wondered if Maléna would take him seriously about the terms they had agreed on or not. He, on the other hand, was definitely serious about the bet as he felt the attraction towards her grow stronger everyday until he thought he'd suffocate from thinking about her.  
  
Uozumi had warned him not to fall in too deep, not to let thoughts about one girl distract him, but he didn't listen. He was already in too deep, he had already fallen hard.  
  
"Hmmm... Looks like I'm home already." Maléna announced, breaking into his thoughts.  
  
"Huh?...oh yeah," he replied. 'It's over too soon,' Sendoh thought ruefully.  
  
"Thanks Sendoh, I had fun." Maléna wrinkled her nose. "Though I don't really have skills where the arcade is concerned. Give me basketball any day and I'm fine."  
  
Sendoh smiled. "I could teach you," he offered.  
  
Maléna laughed, dismissing his offer with a slight wave of her hand. "Thanks, but no thanks! I'd go bankrupt if I get addicted to it."  
  
Sendoh sensed someone watching them from a distance. Somehow, he knew without looking that it was Rukawa. 'Now's the chance to show him who has the upper hand.'  
  
"Maléna, about that bet we had..."  
  
"Bet? What -"  
  
Sendoh didn't give her a chance to finish, simply grabbing her and kissing her, catching her unaware.  
  
Maléna's eyes widened in surprise as he kissed her softly, expertly. It was a pleasant experience so she didn't struggle. After a while, he finally let her go. When she looked at him, satisfaction smoldered in his eyes.  
  
"Maléna," he said huskily. "I'll never forget tonight."  
  
With one last caress on her cheek, he sauntered off, beaming as if he had won a great victory. 'That guy just doesn't take no for an answer,' she thought bemused, bringing her fingers to her lips, smiling ever-so- slightly.  
  
Maléna didn't even sense the lone figure that stood hidden among the shadows, shaking with barely controlled rage. She sighed and closed the gate behind her, turning off the lights as soon as she entered the house, deciding to retire early for the night.  
  
Rukawa wasn't aware that he had clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his skin. His jaw remained tightly closed, his body tense and rigid all over as he witnessed the kiss that nearly drove him to hit something, anything at all if only to ease the fury that was boiling within him.  
  
His dark eyes flashed, widening when Sendoh had suddenly grabbed Maléna and kissed her just like that. And his chest had constricted rather painfully when he saw her close her eyes and let his rival continue to kiss her, not even trying to resist him. He trembled, feeling both confused and enraged as he mounted his bike and cycled home, hoping that a good night's sleep would help him forget what he had seen and focus only on his goal to become the number one high school basketball player in Japan.  
  
He was wrong.  
  
Later that night, as he lay in bed, the same images of Maléna and Sendoh drifted in and out of his subconscious, each one more vivid than the last, each one taunting him more. Maléna with her grey-green eyes and her hair aflame, the lion-lady who had completely haunted him...Sendoh with his relaxed eyes, mocking him with that self-assured grin...both kissed again, sharing a kiss of lovers.  
  
He sat up in bed, kicking the sheets away and slamming his swivel chair against the closet door. Breathing hard to steady himself, he buried his face in his hands, running them through his hair before deciding to attack the refrigerator to whip himself a snack and help him get much-needed sleep.  
  
'Basketball is my life. It will ALWAYS be my life,' Rukawa told himself again and again. He relaxed after repeating the mantra, going downstairs to the kitchen to eat.  
  
But why did he still feel so empty?  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
The next day, nearly all of the players noticed the way Rukawa was acting and wondered why. He was far more aggressive, slamming the ball into the net as if trying to shatter the entire backboard. His movements were more sharp and brittle, lacking of their usual grace. Instead of eluding, he charged right through, fouling whoever was marking him. Maléna saw this and stopped the scrimmage game, coming over to him.  
  
"What is wrong with you today?" she asked softly, leading him away from the court to the sidelines. "This isn't your usual style of play, Rukawa, and you know it."  
  
He avoided her gaze and turned away, not wanting to speak to her. In his mind's eye, he could still see Sendoh and Maléna kissing the night before and the anger returned full force. He only shrugged and walked back to the court, leaving her looking utterly confused and slightly annoyed.  
  
"Aya-chan, Rukawa's not himself today," Maléna said, sitting back down on the benches as the scrimmage resumed.  
  
"I know," came the reply. "It's not like the other time when we found him working doubly-hard at his play. That time, we realized that he had changed and that something had come alive in him.  
  
"Now, however, he looks quite bothered about something else. Looks like he's got issues with you, girl," Ayako remarked, receiving an incredulous stare from Maléna.  
  
"ME??? What do I have to do with it?" she wanted to know, her grey-green eyes wide. "I have no idea what I did to him! I don't even know why he just ignored me a few minutes ago!"  
  
Ayako propped a hand on her chin, smiling. "Maybe he's jealous because you went out with his rival yesterday. I swear, that smiley-faced hedgehog always gets his way with those pearly-whites he flashes half of the time.  
  
"Speaking of which, what happened yesterday? How'd the date go?" the curly- haired manageress wanted to know, leaning forward expectantly.  
  
The Latina shrugged. "He took me to the arcade."  
  
"And?"  
  
"We made a bet and played a few games that he won ten times over. After that, he walked me home," Maléna answered, now busy poring over her notebook-turned-playbook.  
  
"And?" Ayako prompted, leaning forward expectantly.  
  
"He collected his fee when I got home."  
  
Ayako drew back, confusion written all over her face. "What does that mean?"  
  
Maléna leaned in a bit, not wanting the others to hear their conversation. "He kissed me," she whispered.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"You heard me the first time," she hissed in hushed tones, motioning for Ayako to keep her voice down.  
  
"Whoa~! Is he a good kisser?"  
  
One shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Well, he definitely knew what he was doing. I have a feeling he's had a lot of practice."  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Ayako shook her head. "Nothing...just 'hmmm'..."  
  
Turning back to her records, the manageress began rethinking how she could get the two together. This was definitely going to be a lot more difficult than she thought since Sendoh was not to be taken lightly. His reputation as the heartthrob of Ryonan and the basketball team's ace made it all the more difficult. Aside from that, his personality was a lot better than Rukawa's, since he knew how to worm his way into any person's good side, while the fox-eyed boy remained cold and frigid.  
  
She had to tell Haruko and the rest of the girls about what happened during the break.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"NANI?????" Matsui's eyes went as wide as saucers. Fuji's mouth opened and closed, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.  
  
Ayako nodded. "Smiley's going in for Maléna, too. The legendary Rukawa- Sendoh rivalry is heating up now, since it's both on and off the court," she explained, crossing her arms in front of her.  
  
"Aya-chan...Do you think that Rukawa's strange behavior today has something to do with what happened yesterday between Maléna and Sendoh?" Haruko asked, careful to keep her voice low so the Rukawa shinetai wouldn't hear.  
  
The sophomore girl nodded again. "That's what I concluded a while back when Rukawa-kun ignored the girl. I have a feeling he saw them and he got..." Ayako trailed off.  
  
"Jealous?" Matsui supplied, smirking.  
  
The three other girls looked at her and nodded slowly, digesting the information. A jealous Rukawa was not entirely impossible, but it seemed far off at the same time, since the rookie was known to display no emotion whatsoever. But it seemed that he was more affected than he would probably have liked to admit. Everyone on the team noticed, but wisely said nothing.  
  
"Rukawa's acting weird today," a voice suddenly spoke up. They turned to see Kogure approach them along with Mitsui, Miyagi, and Hanamichi.  
  
"Hah! The kitsune's jealous! I know he is, especially after the way he glared at the hedgehog!" Hanamichi crowed triumphantly, wincing when Miyagi nudged him in the ribs to silence him.  
  
"What do you think?" Mitsui asked, turning to look at the girls. "Who do you think will Maléna choose?"  
  
Fuji sighed. "Honestly, I don't think she'd choose Rukawa. Frankly, the guy's as cold as ice and she wouldn't get any satisfaction if she pursued a relationship with him. On the other hand, Sendoh's got a warmer personality that makes him boyfriend material. I have a feeling she'd go for latter any day."  
  
"Yeah, but fire and ice would make a good combination," Miyagi smirked, winking as Ayako linked her arm around his and whacked him playfully.  
  
"Maybe it's best we let Rukawa sort out his feelings. If we interfere, he'd kill us. Literally," Mitsui said, remembering how Rukawa had been when his gang had caused a fracas in the gym.  
  
Everyone gulped and nodded, deciding that it would most definitely be wise to keep mum instead.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Maléna dismissed them early.  
  
TWO HOURS early.  
  
Rukawa was the only one that she had not given permission to leave. She had given him a 'We WILL talk whether you like it or not' look, that made everyone else shudder. Her eyes were a piercing grey this time, drilling twin holes in Rukawa's skull as the rest hurried to freshen up and head home, not wanting to stay behind.  
  
Nobody said a word as they walked out of the gym, knowing all too well that Maléna was far too serious to crack a smile now. There were no traces of laughter on her face, unlike before...only the look of a hardened person. For a moment, they could see Anzai-sensei in his 'White-haired Devil' days in Maléna. The resemblance was uncanny. Both were seasoned players, both were formidable coaches, both demanded respect.  
  
And if Rukawa remained stubborn, he would be receiving the brunt of her anger. This they were sure of as they headed home, leaving the two teenagers in the gym.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Once everyone was gone, Maléna turned back towards Rukawa, noticing that he was looking at the floor, his hands on his hips. Normally, he'd look her in the eye when she was talking to him, but now he was avoiding her gaze like she had the plague or something.  
  
"Would you mind telling me what you find so interesting about the floor, Rukawa?" she asked, breaking the silence hanging over them. Strange, she was usually able to get the most reticent person talking within a few minutes. She was still confused as to why the boy in front of her was giving her the cold shoulder.  
  
He stubbornly refused to talk to her, to look into her eyes. Instead, he picked up a basketball and ran up to the ring, leaping high off the floor and slamming the ball through the hoop. He kept his back to her when he landed, making Maléna grit her teeth in frustration.  
  
"Fine," she snapped. "If that's what you want, I'll play against you."  
  
With that, she snatched the ball from his hands and walked back to the perimeter of the three-point line, nailing the shot effortlessly and shooting him an icy glare. Rukawa picked up the ball and began dribbling, the sound reverberating throughout the gymnasium.  
  
He advanced slowly, watching as she planted herself in front of him, crouching low with her arms spread at her sides. She tensed when he lunged forward, driving through her, and causing her to stumble backwards and nearly lose her balance.  
  
'He's angry!' she told herself, her senses on alert. 'He's angry and it's affecting his play. I can feel it!'  
  
'Well if that's the case, you have to match up against him now,' that little voice spoke up.  
  
"Alright, Mr. Rukawa. We'll see who wins this round of basketball," she declared, catching the ball he had passed.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
He had eluded her! He had actually eluded her and used one of her own techniques against her! Maléna dashed her arm against her forehead, wiping the beads of sweat that ran down her face onto her neck in rivulets. Her top was sticking to her back and her ponytail was loose, making her look like something the cat dragged in. Her shoulders and arms glistened with sweat, giving her skin an ethereal sort of glow.  
  
Rukawa pretty much looked just the way she did, his chest rising and falling with each deep breath he took. Strands of his ebony hair were matted to his forehead covering his eyes. He pushed them away quickly with his hand and inhaled deeply, keeping his eyes trained on her.  
  
She grinned at him, remembering how he had actually used her own distraction technique against her before nailing the lay-up. "Very good, Rukawa. I think I'm teaching you well," she remarked, holding her right shoulder with her left hand before rotating it.  
  
"I don't get fooled twice," came the reply.  
  
Green eyes clashed into blue-black ice. "Don't be too sure....The game isn't over yet."  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
He couldn't remember what had happened. All he knew was that somehow, he had landed on top of her. She was breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed from the excitement of the game, enhancing what beauty she already possessed.  
  
"Charging foul," she declared breathlessly, staring up at him, smiling.  
  
It was then that he realized how close he was to her. He could feel her body pressed up against his, molding against him like a jigsaw puzzle. Lithe curves against solid planes, soft against hard. Rukawa felt the heat in his body rise, his muscles tensing then relaxing as he continued to stare down at her.  
  
Maléna was growing uncomfortable under his gaze and the most uncompromising position she found herself in. She tried to hide her discomfort by arching an eyebrow and placing her hands on his chest in an effort to push him up. "Can you get off me now, Rukawa?"  
  
He refused to move away from her. A part of his brain screamed at him to do so, but another part of him was reveling in the feel of her. And his body was a damned traitor with the way it was reacting to Maléna. The last of his logic dwindled into nothingness and he let her eyes pull him to her, let the fullness of her lips tempt him. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes darkening with a new emotion that scared her.  
  
Maléna's breath quickened when Rukawa moved towards her instead of away from her, unaware that her lips had parted slightly, feeling dizzy at the heat of their intermingling breaths, his lips mere millimeters away from hers.  
  
And then she felt the soft brush of his lips against hers, eliciting a sharp gasp from her. The electricity was there, zinging through her entire system and leaving her numb. The heat of his body against hers was slowly turning her insides to mush and she felt her carefully-built walls slowly crumble as she surrendered to the heat of the moment.  
  
"You talk too much," he whispered, pulling back a few inches to gaze into her eyes, smoldering her...burning her and leaving her breathless.  
  
Unconsciously, she licked her lips that had suddenly gone dry, the movement failing to escape Rukawa. He lowered his lips to hers again, this time teasing the corners of her mouth with his tongue and nibbling her lower lip with his teeth. He took her moan as an invitation and his tongue delved inside, exploring the sweetness of her mouth, meeting her tongue in an age- old dance as his hands moved up to loosen her hair out of its ponytail, his long fingers tangling in the fiery strands.  
  
Rukawa's kiss was unlike any Maléna had ever experienced. It was not like Sendoh's. It was a mind-blowing, soul-searing one that filled her senses, making her tremble in Rukawa's arms as he deepened the kiss. One large hand moved away from her head to trail down her arm and stroke her side, slipping under her tanktop to caress the smooth skin of her back.  
  
She gasped into his mouth, her hands fisting in his hair before massaging his scalp with her fingers as she responded, stoking the fire that was burning in him.  
  
He hadn't meant to kiss her like this. He hadn't meant to kiss her like he was kissing her now. But the heat of the moment was just too much to ignore and her lips had been so close. The feeling of her had somehow eased his torment and he just went with the flow, forgetting everything that had happened and concentrating only on the girl beneath him.  
  
Images of Sendoh kissing Maléna flashed through his mind and the kiss turned aggressive, demanding, dragging a whimper from Maléna. His lips were bruising her, almost punishing in the way he slanted his mouth over hers. He felt her hands leave his neck only to dig her fingers into his shoulders. Rukawa softened the kiss then, brushing his lips across hers before finally pulling away, breathing hard as he stared down at her.  
  
The image she presented to him was beautiful. Her hair was spread around her like a curtain, her face flushed pink, her green eyes wide and her lips swollen from his kiss. HIS kiss. A feeling of masculine pride welled up in Rukawa as he continued to stare down at Maléna. From the way she gazed up at him with slightly-parted lips, he could tell that she had enjoyed it.  
  
Touching a finger to her lips, the small forward bent down to whisper in her ear. "I won."  
  
The shock from his words brought her back to reality and Maléna angrily pushed him away, wiping her lips in disgust and mortified of her feverish response to his kiss. Something inside her boiled and she slapped Rukawa as hard as she could, watching as his head flung to the side, his coal-black bangs obscuring his eyes as her hand hung suspended in mid-air, her whole self trembling with vexation.  
  
"I hate you," she whispered in a voice full of contempt, loud enough for him to hear and she turned sharply on her heel, walking out of the gym and leaving him cold all over once more.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
Author's additional notes: Wah! Chapter 13 finally!!! Unfortunately, updating future chapters will take longer as classes are about to start. I do hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and I hope you will enjoy the chapters that are still to come! Thanks for supporting my fic, minna!!!! 


	15. Chapter Fourteen: How You Feel, How I Fe...

Disclaimers: You know how they work...  
  
Author's Notes: Yay! I'm alive! Ehehehehe...kidding! But yes! I have come back more refreshed from the hiatus and I am soooo glad I took the break...Aaaanyways, here's chapter 14 with a complete overhaul from the original plan!  
  
*A lot of thanks go to my friends Blue Lady and Seranida for helping me out as always, filling in the blank scenes when I could not...You two are angels!!!  
  
*Thanks also to my mIRC friend, Andy_Lau (not his real name of course!) for helping me with the Spanish translations! Gracias, mi amigo!  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - How I Feel, How You Feel  
  
  
  
RUKAWA RESIDENCE...  
  
Rukawa Kaede returned home in a daze. His older sister was already cooking dinner when he stepped in to the foyer of their house. Immediately he sat down on the couch, one hand involuntarily coming up to touch his lips. The memory of the kiss was still fresh. He could still feel Maléna's lips on his own, soft and pliant just like the rest of her but just as aggressive in her response to his kiss.  
  
"Oi, Kae-chan! Come help me set the table!" she called out, interrupting his reverie.  
  
Sighing, he got up and headed to the kitchen, taking out two place mats, two plates, two glasses, and a set of chopsticks, placing them in order on the table as he braced himself for another of his sister's dishes. And judging from the peculiar smell coming from the kitchen, Rukawa knew that he would be spending at least an hour in the bathroom again.  
  
The pale, raven-haired boy sighed again and waited for the moment of truth. If his sister would cook her famous fried chicken everyday, he could survive...the problem was that she never did. Regretfully, tonight was "Gourmet Night" and that meant weird dishes that his sister would experiment with. He shuddered in mild distaste when he remembered the pork chops covered in prune sauce from last week.  
  
"You're a bit early tonight. Did something go wrong at practice?" Rukawa Kimika wanted to know, setting dinner in front of them. Her little brother shook his head, eyeing the casserole warily at the same time.  
  
'Make that not so little,' she thought ruefully, gazing wistfully at her brother who was more than a head taller than she was.  
  
"So why are you home early?" She asked while proceeding to ladle out what looked like brains and onions swimming in tomato soup, wanting to know what had happened. "I thought you'd be staying late for practice as usual."  
  
"Didn't feel like it," came the monotone reply.  
  
"Eh? Did I hear you correctly? You didn't feel like it?" Kimika repeated, her eyes wide.  
  
He nodded, staring at his food and not really wanting to eat it, distracted by his thoughts and the awful smell of his dinner. He tried hard to discreetly breathe through his mouth in order to avoid the smell, if he couldn't avoid eating it.  
  
"WHY?"  
  
Rukawa rolled his eyes sarcastically. There were times when he really hated his sister's interrogations. Even if she had the best intentions in mind, there were times when she just didn't know when to shut up.  
  
Although they looked alike with the same pale skin, silky black hair and icy midnight blue, fox-like eyes, brother and sister were as different as night and day. While he was the sullen, cold sibling, Kimika was the bubbly and energetic one, always the life of the party. She was as outgoing and gregarious as her brother was aloof and introverted.  
  
"I wasn't in the mood," he lied through his teeth. Kimika saw right through it and grinned.  
  
"That's not a very satisfactory answer, Lamebrain," she commented, swatting him on the head playfully. "Tell your dear oneechan the truth."  
  
He sighed. Might as well tell her half of the truth why he was home at this hour. "I got into an argument," he answered, pausing to quickly finish off his dinner, slightly gagging at the rubbery taste that registered in his tastebuds.  
  
'Note to self: Tell Kimika-oneesan that this particular dish -- whatever it is -- smells and tastes like a burning rubber plantation,' he told himself, fighting back the urge to get sick all over the carpet. It was hard to eat while holding his breath just to get away from the horrid taste of it.  
  
Gourmet food his ass. It was a mystery in life why they looked so damn palatable on TV shows when they tasted otherwise in the mouth.  
  
"With Sakuragi? PLEASE, that's nothing new! You always torment the poor kid every chance you get."  
  
He glowered at his sister. "I didn't get into an argument with that do'aho."  
  
"What did I tell you about using that word?"  
  
"Yare yare...I didn't have an argument with that aka-atama no baka."  
  
Kimika smiled. "You're hopeless...Did Anzai-sensei punish you?"  
  
"Anzai-sensei is Hawaii away," Rukawa corrected his older sibling, pushing away his plate. If she forced him to eat more, he would...  
  
"Oh yeah! I forgot his granddaughter's the one in charge of you now! Speaking of which, when will I get to meet her? I've heard all the stories about her and I hear she's really pretty."  
  
Rukawa silently disagreed with Kimika on the last part. In his mind's eye, Maléna wasn't just pretty...she was beautiful. Memories of the kiss they shared moments ago came back full force and he ducked his head low, remembering the surge of electricity when their lips made contact. He also remembered the sharp pain when the back of her hand came in contact with his cheek.  
  
Kimika watched for her brother's reaction and immediately put two and two together. "Oh no..." she trailed off in dismay. "Did you start an argument with her?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"Let me guess...You couldn't help yourself."  
  
".........." In a way, he couldn't help himself with what had happened. However there was no way he was going to tell his sister what truly happened. Not even the torture of gourmet food was going to make him tell her.  
  
"Rukawa Kaede, I have had enough of your attitude towards women! If you will not shape up, I am definitely going to ship you out of this house and kill your chances of becoming a pro basketball player!"  
  
"But..."  
  
"You're going to apologize to her, Kaede, whether you like it or not! I have put up long enough with the way you treat women like dirt, but honestly, at 16 years of age, you have crossed the line!"  
  
She completely ignored his squawk of resentment and stomped off, fuming. Rukawa swore he could actually see steam coming out Kimika's ears. 'First Maléna, now my oneesan. Who's next?' he wondered.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Maléna lay in bed, unable to sleep. Even tossing and turning didn't help. All she could think about was Rukawa and what a cold-blooded jerk he was. But then when he kissed her, he wasn't cold at all. He was aflame with the same passion that consumed her. Her cheeks burned at the memory. It wasn't as though she found Rukawa's kiss repulsive. Far from it -- and she felt ashamed to admit it -- she had actually enjoyed it, until his stupid words ruined everything.  
  
'What am I thinking?!?' she scolded herself. 'I should be glad he spoke before we went further.'  
  
Maléna thought about what might have happened if Rukawa hadn't broken the spell woven around them and mentally kicked herself for thinking such thoughts. If things had gone further...they would have done something very regrettable...and the worst part would be if he didn't care at all what would happen to her.  
  
"Damn him," she muttered, turning to her side and adjusting her nightshirt as it rode up her thighs. She tried to close her eyes but they immediately snapped open. Sleep wouldn't be coming to her so easily tonight, she realized.  
  
She got out of bed, swinging her long legs over the edge as she searched for her slippers in the dark. She gave up when she realized that they had been pushed far under the bed and walked out the door in her bare feet, ignoring the cold floor. Every step she took that broke the silence of the house seemed to accentuate the memories of Rukawa's kiss even more, no matter how far into the deepest recesses of her mind they were pushed.  
  
Maléna growled in frustration just then, hitting the wall with the side of her fist if only to make her brain stop remembering. She had felt so powerless to stop Rukawa then, so completely in his control and she hated it. She hated him for tempting her and she hated herself for giving in.  
  
'But you have to admit he's FAR better than the other guys you've kissed,' a tiny voice spoke up teasingly. A tic was starting to develop in her eye. She found it impossible that a person could be furious with one's self and finally gave up at berating herself for the predicament she had been unwillingly put into.  
  
The tall girl groaned again and sat on the stairs. No matter how much she tried to forget, she could still feel his lips on hers, teasing and awakening feelings that terrified her with their intensity.  
  
"What am I going to do?" She wondered aloud, burying her face in her hands as she leaned back against the wall tiredly. She desperately wanted time to think and get herself together...But that would mean she had to avoid the very person who was causing her brain to muddle up.  
  
'D-uh! As if you can avoid him! You see him everyday and you're his coach!' The same voice spoke up again.  
  
"Argh! Enough!" Maléna cried out, nearly tearing her hair out in frustration. There were definitely times when she wished she didn't have a conscience and this was one of those times.  
  
However, she knew that she was caught between a rock and a hard spot. If she avoided Rukawa by staying cooped up at home, the team would worry and he'd come to see her anyway. On the other hand, if she continued to see him during practice, it would be very awkward and highly uncomfortable...Either way, everyone would notice...  
  
Unless...  
  
'I put on a different mask.'  
  
She walked back up to her room and collapsed on the bed, falling into a fitful sleep.  
  
Tomorrow would definitely test her mettle.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
'Maléna...' her name rolled over Rukawa's mind like a sweet balm. He lay back on his bed and stared at the ceiling, not really seeing it but reliving the moment he had with her. God, she was everything he had never thought he'd find in a girl. She had the brains, loads of talent and a unique personality that not all girls possessed.  
  
'Not to mention the looks AND the body of a goddess,' that annoying voice spoke up slyly. Rukawa told it to shut the HELL up. He had enough to think about now. Every now and then, his thoughts drifted back to Maléna...how soft she was, softer than anything he had ever touched or been allowed to touch, and how right she felt in his arms, like she had been intentionally carved out to fit against him.  
  
And those lips of hers...He closed his eyes, remembering how they felt. That one kiss had made him long for her all the more. It was against everything he had ever set upon himself to believe in. But there was something about her made him want to break all his self-imposed rules...like she was everything he should avoid and at the same time, welcome.  
  
That same voice inside his head spoke up, more annoying now. 'You know, she can't always be the one treating you out. When will you ask her out on a REAL date?'  
  
A date.  
  
Oh for crap's sake, did he want one?  
  
He'd been on enough dates that all ended in a disaster -- most of them involving coercion from all sides -- to prove that he would never be able to socialize with the opposite sex as easily as that. Okay, so they weren't many dates, but he could name quite a few that brought about an unpleasant taste in his mouth.  
  
His fists clenched at the memories of his dating experiences concocted by his meddling older sister. He could freeze people with his stare but his sister seemed impervious to it as she began to set him up on dates, reasoning out that he needed to get out more often and interact (And if he could somehow interact with the same gender, why not the opposite one? --- according to Kimika).  
  
Those experiences were, by far, the most disastrous of his sister's cockamamie plans. A nerve started to act and the corner of his lip twitched as he resentfully dredged up those hideous memories.  
  
It was two years ago when Kimika had first set him up on a date with the younger sister of one of her colleagues and was of the same age with him. He was feeling rather sulky too, because it was impossible for him to get out of this. Maybe if he had let himself get run over by a truck the day before, he would be now in the hospital in a body cast. Or maybe in a morgue but he would have preferred that to this humiliation.  
  
They were to meet up outside the gates of her school but he wound up waiting for half an hour before she actually showed up. Twenty-five minutes ago, he was thinking of just leaving and ditching the girl, whatever her reason might be for her tardiness. Yet somehow, he couldn't find the courage to face his sister and lie that his date had some emergency because the girl might call and hell might break loose.  
  
When his date came, he was frozen to the spot. He was given a picture the night before and decided she was okay but now...This girl was like all of his nightmares about those grossly bubblegummy, no-talent Japanese girl bands with their cutesy faces, cutesy outfits, and cutesy voices all in one.  
  
It took all of his will not to run away in the opposite direction. But she immediately latched herself to his arm like mussel to a rock. He was about to lie to her that he was there for someone else when she said that he looked cuter in person than he did in his picture. He groaned mentally. He wondered which picture his sister had shown to the girl.  
  
The entire date was spent at the mall with the girl cooing over every little cutesy thing she saw and going ga-ga over the posters of boybands on display. She was a hardcore groupie. Yahoo for him. She reminded him of all the bubbleheaded cheerleaders at Tomigaoka and he spent the remainder of the date counting the hours until he could go home and write his will.  
  
Another one was with this girl who spent most of her time with her cell phones. All four of them. Every few seconds or so, her phones would ring incessantly to those carousel-like tones that scraped nails in his brain. The girl just didn't appreciate his efforts in making a conversation because she was too busy talking to her cell phones than with him.  
  
Just as well. She was too dumb to make a decent chat anyway.  
  
But it was the last date that broke his patience.  
  
Kimika had decided that maybe older girls would bode better for her younger brother's chances at getting a social life. So she set him up with someone four years his senior. He couldn't believe it. His sister had set him up with a college student.  
  
Shit.  
  
He tried to reason his way out of this one because he didn't like the idea anymore. But he couldn't reason his way out, because Kimika had a stubborn streak that was the trademark of the Rukawa bloodline. He had no choice but to agree, both out of respect for her and fear when she had threatened to kick him out of the house.  
  
When they met, not only was his date a college student but also a gaijin. But little did he know of how terrible the outcome would be.  
  
Surprisingly, it started better than his previous dates.  
  
She was rather beautiful. There was a sophisticated feel about her and lo and behold, she had the brains to match! They went to dinner at a ritzy restaurant and so far, he had yet to find any flaws in this one. Maybe his luck would change.  
  
He was wrong.  
  
It was in the middle of dinner that he found out her defect. SHE WAS DAMN HORNY! She kept rubbing her toes against his ankles, looking at him provocatively under half-lidded eyes. But when her foot rose up his leg to his thigh and towards his crotch, he instantaneously stood up, upsetting the table and the crystal glasses, saying that he needed to go to the washroom.  
  
He was about to think of a way to get out of this date when he heard someone enter. It was his date sauntering into the men's room like a preying cat. When her eyes fell upon his, he knew he was in trouble but he couldn't get out. With his back to the wall and her standing in between him and the door all he could do was pray. In a second she was all over him, kissing him and trying to get her hands under his shirt. He was too shocked and stunned to react, whether it was to return her touches or to push her away.  
  
Several seconds later, Rukawa got his answer when he felt something hard rubbing against his thigh. His mind screamed and he started to push his date away from him. However his date was stronger than he thought despite the slender frame and given the true nature of his date's sexual orientation and gender. When she...no...HE! started to rub himself over his thigh he just acted out, pushing the crossdresser away from him with all the strength he could muster and running pell-mell outside, going straight home in a taxi.  
  
When he got home and told Kimika, she nearly keeled over in shock and had downed nearly half a pitcher of water. She had not been aware that she had set him up with a crossdresser. The gaijin had looked so convincing that she was sure of the gender, she explained. All she could do was apologize to Rukawa, but he made her promise right there and then to NEVER set him up on any more dates in the future.  
  
That last date never failed to make him shudder and he would always blame that for his refusal to date and look at girls of foreign descent with suspicion. Of course, with Maléna he need not worry and that was just both his bane and boon. It would have been a lot easier if she didn't stand out. Even in the literal sense.  
  
The problem was that she was very easy to focus on. Lovely grey-green eyes, alabaster complexion, fiery-red hair, toned body...  
  
'Not to mention a nice ass, huh?' That voice was getting to be quite annoying. It was almost like a chibi-version of himself in his brain. But unlike his usually bored and detached look, this one had a huge hentai grin and was currently tormenting him.  
  
'Y'know, I bet Maléna tastes a lot better than Kimika's meals. Why don't we eat her?'  
  
Rukawa tried to shut that voice out, covering his ears with his pillow and closing his eyes. Too bad it was being persistent.  
  
'God, I can imagine her now, stripping in front...'  
  
"Urusai."  
  
'Showing her sexiness bit by bit...'  
  
"I said SHUT UP..."  
  
'Wearing a red lace thong...'  
  
Rukawa growled, grabbing a few tissues to nurse the sudden spurt of blood that had come out his nose. "Hentai! You're not supposed to think of Maléna like that!"  
  
'Hey, at least we both know she's a REAL girl!' The chibi-hentai-Rukawa protested. 'Not like that ~'  
  
"Don't even go there," Rukawa interrupted threateningly, FINALLY quieting that voice down.  
  
He was about to sleep when...  
  
'Hey! Did you find out Maléna's cup size?'  
  
"ARGH!!!!!!!!!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Maléna was still irked over what happened yesterday. Every cord of her muscle was rigid, her lips had thinned to a grim line, and her hair was pulled a bit too tightly into her usual hairstyle. Her eyes were narrowed to green-grey slits and with her hair, all she needed was the right make-up and costume and she would pass up as a Kabuki monster.  
  
No matter how harsh she was, not one on the team dared refute her orders, not even Akagi, who was now being tortured with pleading puppy-eyes from his teammates for him to do something about the situation. He had never been subjected to this grueling kind of exercise before, nor had he given the team this. Compared to this practice, the training he subjected Sakuragi to was a day in the playground.  
  
She was beating the team to a pulp with the intensity of today's practice. After seeing them do the number of laps she had instructed them to run earlier on, she had now actually QUADRUPLED them. And she didn't correct their mistakes in the usual calm manner. Instead, she yelled outright in a voice loud enough to shatter their eardrums. They had not even gone down to the REAL practice and already, they felt they would break with the strain that she was putting them through.  
  
She couldn't look at Rukawa straight in the eye but she often felt his eyes on her. Hanamichi noticed this and thought it peculiar.  
  
"Oi! Léna-chan, is something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"What made you ask that?" Glaring at him hot enough to fry eggs.  
  
Hanamichi swallowed inaudibly but kept his stand and shrugged. "You've been screaming your head off at everyone in the team and looking them in the eyes, except for that fox face. How come you can't look at the Kitsune straight in the eye? Did something happen between the both of you yesterday?"  
  
Her blood boiled at the mere mention of Rukawa, even if it was by his infamous nickname. 'Grrrr...'  
  
"GET BACK TO PRACTICE!" She yelled, ignoring the question and making Hanamichi scamper off in fear.  
  
Part of Maléna gave a sigh of relief once the rebounder was out of the way. But her flaming cheeks did not escape Ayako's knowing eyes. The latter also did not fail to notice Rukawa's gaze, which always strayed to where the young coach was. She made a mental note to talk to Maléna later, but not this time. It was far too dangerous. She would have to wait until Maléna cooled down somewhat...because right about now, the gaijin onna looked terrifying.  
  
Even Akagi was now heaving in great gulps of air to catch up; Mitsui was nearing to faint, thinking that this was far more than what he had been through in the Ryonan game. Maléna was constantly scolding Kogure as he paused from time to time in order to push his glasses up his nose as they kept slipping down due to the sweat dripping profusely down his face. Miyagi was also suffering, preferring Ayako's fan whacks to this inhumane act against the team. At least he could imagine that Ayako was whacking him with love. With Maléna, it was like being in the Seven Circles of Hell.  
  
Ayako was thinking that if this was how Anzai-sensei was before when he was known as the 'White-haired Devil,' they were all dead. If Maléna kept this up, she would be soon be baptized as the 'Red-Haired She-Devil.' She wondered if the team would soon charge her with mass murder. They were already crawling towards the benches, half-dead and gasping for air as Maléna continued to scream at them.  
  
Her voice reverberated all through the gymnasium, laden with words the team could only think of as Spanish swear words. The more she got ticked off, the more she unleashed her fury, speaking in rapid Spanish that they would have found interesting to listen to, except for the fact that her words were all laced with anger. They were relieved that they couldn't understand anything though (Except maybe that she was very much pissed off and they had to be on their best behavior in the hopes that she would soon mellow down).  
  
Hanamichi had once again been subjected to BASIC dribbling, much to his humiliation. He tried to protest, but one look from Maléna sent him scuttling to a corner of the sparse gymnasium. He thought she was going to leave him alone to his drills, but he was dead wrong. Within minutes, he was nursing two huge lumps that had sprouted on his head from the impact of a heavy object.  
  
He was about to shout out his usual profanities when Maléna's voice cut him off. Looking up, he saw a very, VERY angry Latina glaring down at him, clutching a tessen in one hand that was even bigger than Ayako's and he nervously swallowed his curses as quickly as after-dinner mints.  
  
"Joder, crei que te habia explicado como doblar tus putas rodillas de una forma adecuada! Por que coño no me haces ni puto caso cuando te hablo?!" She yelled down at him, too pissed off to see that her outburst had only confused Hanamichi even more.  
  
Turning to the others, she shot them a withering glare that was enough to shrink them down to pint size. "Estoy haciendo esto por que soy un jodida masoquista! O crees que quiero ver mierda?!"  
  
Oh boy, was she ever confusing them! But instead of raising a hand and asking her what she was saying, they kept quiet and cast their eyes down to the floor. Only when she yelled "Vamos!" did they understand. The five- minute break was up and they were once again about to enter the Gates of Hell.  
  
However, the more she screamed, the more nervous they felt and they began making more and more slip-ups much to their dismay. This only spurred Maléna's ire further as she walked up and down the line that they had formed, scrutinizing them through narrowed eyes, like a drill sergeant would his cadets.  
  
"Oh, por el amor de dios!" she cried, waving her arms around. "Como puedes ser tan jodidamente idiota?! O es que estas haciendo esto a proposito para que pruebe my bate de besibol en tu jodido culo?!"  
  
Kogure bravely stepped forward, dashing a hand across his forehead. "Ano...Maléna," he started, meekly, wincing when she met his eyes with a hostile glare. "We are trying our best to meet your expectations. I mean, we love basketball and we are playing basketball, but don't you think that ~ " He was interrupted by her mirthless laughter, every note dripping with lethal sarcasm.  
  
"Es gracioso que me estes intentando decir que quieres jugar a basket, Kogure," she replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Por que yo digo lo que veo, y lo que veo no es mas que mierda," she quietly told him.  
  
Had they understood Spanish, her scathing words would have very well made a few of them cry. Just as well that they couldn't understand. It would have made them hate her.  
  
Kogure said nothing more and Akagi motioned for them to get back to practice. But Rukawa had other ideas. He crossed the gym, grabbed Maléna's arm none-too-roughly and spun her around to face him.  
  
"What the fuck is your problem?!" he hissed, blue eyes narrowing to slits. She yanked her arm out of his grasp, drawing herself to her full height.  
  
"Cual es el problema?" she echoed in Spanish, making Rukawa lose his temper even more. "TU eres mi jodido problema! Si quieres quejarte de como llevo las cosas, largate! Por que coño deberia importarme?!" She pushed him away as he glared at her, his jaw working as he fought to kept calm. He took a step forward, defying her earlier actions.  
  
He wanted to kiss her right then and there...God, did he ever! He wanted to just SHOW her how angry he was for his subjection to her punishment. But he found that he could not. There was another part of him that was telling him that he actually DESERVED everything she was putting him through.  
  
This was not a good idea. She was so close, he could actually smell...His nose caught a whiff of a distinct aroma and he stopped short.  
  
'Was that coffee?' he wondered, discreetly sniffing the air Maléna had exhaled. Instead of repelling him, he actually found himself getting more addicted to the smell of her breath. Briefly he wondered if she would taste like coffee when he kissed her.  
  
"Me importa un huevo lo que puedas decir cobre mi genio o mi boca! Quiero verte jugar como se supone que deberias estar haciendo!" Maléna continued, walking back to the sidelines and motioning for them to start the scrimmage game.  
  
Things weren't so dandy in the gym that the usual people who hung out to watch the basketball team, namely Sakuragi's friends and Rukawa's inane fans and even more inane cheerleaders, slunk away after seeing how Maléna was nearly red in the face. Yohei swallowed nervously, remembering the look in Maléna's eyes. She had practically scared Takamiya off, plus Rukawa's cheerleaders had cowered by the door alongside them before finally deciding to leave.  
  
When she FINALLY dismissed them, team Shohoku all but dragged their weary bodies to the locker rooms to freshen up, saying weak goodbyes to Maléna. Heck, at this rate, they'd all be too tired to eat dinner as soon as they got home. Images of their comfortable beds filled their minds as they wearily trudged out the school.  
  
As they walked silently home, each team member fervently hoped for only one thing: That Maléna would be back to normal by tomorrow.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
As soon as practice was over, Ayako approached the Latina, who had calmed down a lot after the guys left. The latter was busy constructing new plays that team Shohoku could use.  
  
"So...do you want to talk about it?" The manageress asked casually.  
  
"Talk about what?" Maléna asked distractedly while drawing out more diagrams.  
  
"About Rukawa," came the nonchalant reply.  
  
The pale hand that was drawing, slipped, making a squiggly line in the newly-created play. Almost immediately, her brain screamed. 'Gack! You klutz!'  
  
"Rukawa? What about him?" she echoed, a trifle faintly. She coughed in order to give her time to get back her composure. Or what was left of it after Hanamichi's rather blunt observation.  
  
"Girl, you're starting to sound like a broken recorder. What really happened, yes..."  
  
"Rukawa is the most arrogant, conceited, chauvinistic, cold-blooded bastard I ever met!" the auburn-haired girl exploded, twisting her pencil and suddenly snapping it in two. "Arghh! And the nerve of that guy, daring what he did! I hate him!"  
  
"O-kaaay. Just calm down and tell me what really happened. Did he physically hurt you?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Did he force you to do something you didn't want to do?"  
  
There was a long pause. Then a decisive "No..."  
  
"Then what did he do?!" Ayako asked, exasperated.  
  
Maléna rolled her eyes and waved her off, not really wanting to talk about it.  
  
"Did he kiss you?"  
  
She massaged the bridge of her nose in an effort to chase away the monstrous headache that was beginning to grow. Where was the aspirin when you needed it? "Ayako, I really don't want to talk about Rukawa."  
  
Ayako ignored her. "Was he a good kisser?"  
  
That made Maléna stop. Was he a good kisser? Was he? Gah! The guy was actually talented! Where he learned to kiss like that, she didn't know. All she knew was that he was pretty damn good at it for someone who was deemed as untouchable.  
  
The curly-haired manageress saw her reaction and grinned triumphantly. "I knew it."  
  
Maléna groaned. "Ayako! Please! I really don't want to talk about anything that involves him. It might give me an even bigger headache."  
  
"Fine, fine...when you're ready."  
  
And with that, Ayako left Maléna to both her thoughts and her notebook of plays. Maybe she'd have better luck wheedling it out of the poor girl tomorrow.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
The next day, Sendoh Akira just had to grace the Shohoku High gym with his presence. Once again, he was greeted with hostile glares from both Hanamichi and Rukawa. Kogure greeted him politely at the door, asking for his purpose of visiting their school though he already knew why the spiky- haired boy was here. The others furtively shot glances at Rukawa, watching for his reaction with growing interest.  
  
"I'm here to see Maléna, of course," the Ryonan ace smoothly replied, standing up from his relaxed position by the door and producing a bouquet of pink and white carnations when Maléna turned to look at him.  
  
'Smooth, Sendoh...real smooth,' his inner voice congratulated him as the girl of his daydreams and his other...*ahem*...fantasies walked towards him.  
  
"Hi, Sendoh! This is quite a surprise...Gracias..." Maléna accepted the bouquet, burying her nose in the carnations to sniff their fragrance and to hide the small blush staining her cheeks.  
  
The smile grew wider. "I'm glad you like them. I picked them out with you in mind."  
  
She smiled back, a little too sweetly, making Rukawa grit his teeth. "Oh, you shouldn't have...But thanks all the same...They're beautiful."  
  
"Not as beautiful as you are, Maléna. They pale in comparison to you."  
  
Maléna giggled. "You flatter me too much."  
  
"I only speak the truth, sweet gaijin," Sendoh replied, looking into sparkling grey-green eyes. She always thought so little of herself though she truly was a one-of-a-kind beauty.  
  
The blush grew deeper and Maléna was thankful that the bouquet was big enough to hide her blush. When she had regained her composure, she called out to the team over her shoulder. "Take a break guys! Twenty minutes, with my blessing!"  
  
Everyone was all too eager to have the break and they immediately rushed off to the canteen, allowance money, and homemade snacks in hand. One person stayed behind, pretending to practice his shots, but keeping a close eye on Maléna, who was flirting outrageously with Sendoh while completely ignoring him, which was not boding well with his ego.  
  
Rukawa watched them through narrowed eyes as Sendoh basked in Malena's attention. A few moments later, Maléna walked away, saying that she had forgotten something of some importance and Sendoh replied that he would just wait right where he was standing for her. Some heaviness in the air portended some ancient doom as he heard Sendoh ask Maléna out on a date.  
  
For the entire day Maléna had been ignoring him, or if not screaming her head off at him because of a mistake that he thought she only imagined. He had been trying to figure out a way to corner Maléna to talk to her about what had happened. And now this...He knew he should stomp off somewhere and just wait till an opportunity came up before his blood vessels burst. But he didn't want to. He wanted jealousy and anger to fuel him so at least when he could face Sendoh, his fist would smash right through his head and delete that happy-go-lucky smile on his face.  
  
Sendoh looked in his direction, smiled and then waved his hand. Rukawa answered with a growl and bared his teeth at him. His hackles started to rise as his spiky-haired rival began to walk towards him.  
  
"What's wrong, Rukawa?" he taunted. "Did you lose your touch with girls?"  
  
"Can it Sendoh, I'm not in the mood," Rukawa said softly, yet with an undercurrent of steel, holding a basketball in his hands and unconsciously gripping it with increasing pressure. Oh, if only this ball were Sendoh's head...life would be infinitesimally better. Or until Maléna came anyway.  
  
Sendoh seemed oblivious to the underlying warning in his words and continued on bragging. "Look who's got the upper hand now...Malena's practically falling for me hook, line and sinker," he remarked, smiling smugly.  
  
Rukawa gritted his teeth. That nerve on his face was acting up again and was now twitching uncontrollably under his left eye. "You're getting on my nerves, asshole."  
  
"It's a sure win, you just never stood a chance with her," Sendoh smirked.  
  
'That's it!' Rukawa saw red. He clenched his fists and threw the ball away with enough force that it hit a nearby tree, deflected off it and smashed a window on the second floor. A moment later, a teacher came out of the smashed window, clutching his head and trying to say something before collapsing out of view. 'I've had enough of this crap!'  
  
*POW!!!*  
  
Immediately, his fist came in contact with Sendoh's jaw and Rukawa heard a satisfying crunch upon impact. The force of his punch was so great that it made Sendoh lose his balance. He was just about to deliver another punch to completely wipe off that hentai smile when a voice from behind stopped him.  
  
"Rukawa! What in the blazes of Hell do you think you're doing!?!" Maléna cried, rushing over to Sendoh, who was clutching his jaw and moaning in pain. But with the glint in his eye that Rukawa saw, he was in a lot less pain that he was showing. That alone made him want to plow him deeper into the ground.  
  
Maléna, however, was oblivious to this as she used her shirt to wipe off the blood the was trickling down from the cuts on Sendoh's face, all the while checking for other bruises and completely forgetting he was there.  
  
Rukawa then stalked off to the gym to work out his remaining anger on the court.  
  
When the Shohoku ace was out of earshot, Maléna hastily apologized to Sendoh, gently wiping away the blood on his face, gingerly touching his cheeks to check for any other injuries. "God, I am SO sorry! I really don't know what happened to him but I am so sorry!"  
  
"It's okay," he reassured her. "Though it feels like a truck parked on my lip," he added ruefully. That made Maléna feel even guiltier when she saw the corner of Sendoh's lips darken to form an ugly bruise.  
  
"Stay here. I'll try to talk some sense into that block of ice," she instructed, getting up quickly but not before helping Sendoh to his feet.  
  
Before she entered the door, she paused to look back at him over her shoulder, smiling. "About your offer...let me think about it, okay?"  
  
He smiled back and Maléna immediately stepped inside the gym before he could see her pretty features darken into an angry scowl.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
As soon as she was sure that Sendoh couldn't see her, she walked over to Rukawa, snatching the ball away from him so he could look at her in the eyes. Blue and green met in a blaze of fury that seemed to send sparks flying off in every direction.  
  
"What the hell is your problem?" Maléna yelled at Rukawa.  
  
His glare seemed to rival hers and his voice practically dripped with sarcasm as he stared back at her. "You...and Sendoh."  
  
"What does Sendoh have to do with this?" She demanded, her fists clenching and unclenching in an effort to restrain her self from breaking all thirty- two of Rukawa's teeth.  
  
Silence.  
  
'Great!' Maléna thought in frustration. 'I'm talking to a block of wood.'  
  
"Don't tell me you're jealous of Sendoh," she growled.  
  
"What if I am," Rukawa said quietly. More of a statement than a question.  
  
"But that's ridiculous!" She scoffed.  
  
"It's not impossible," came the arrogant reply.  
  
And it was that arrogance that irked Maléna.  
  
"You know what your problem is, Rukawa?" she groused. "You think the world revolves around you just because girls fall all over you. Well, I'm not like the rest of those bimbos who trail after you like lost puppies! What did you expect me to do? Swoon at your feet?" she asked, sarcastically. "Read my lips, Rukawa! I. AM. NOT. BLONDE!"  
  
Rukawa's eyes gleamed with a predatory light as he moved a step closer to her. Maléna automatically stepped backward.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked warily as Rukawa continued towards her, backing her in a corner until she felt the wall behind her back.  
  
"Isn't it obvious," he murmured silkily, placing one hand on either side of her on the wall, trapping her.  
  
Grey-green eyes narrowed to slits as she tilted her chin defiantly. "Don't you dare..."  
  
Rukawa leaned in towards her, cutting off her protest, his firm lips descending on hers.  
  
She steeled herself, expecting an angry kiss, but was caught totally unprepared for the gentle onslaught of Rukawa's lips. His lips brushed against hers softly, teasing the contours of her lips, tantalising her until she sighed and her mouth parted beneath his. Her hands then slipped around his neck to tangle her fingers in his black hair, unconsciously urging him forward. Rukawa grunted in approval, pressing his body closer to hers as the kiss deepened.  
  
"Maléna, are you al..." Ayako's voice trailed off at the sight of Maléna and Rukawa locked in a passionate embrace.  
  
"Oh my," she murmured bemusedly, watching the couple unabashedly from the door as they continued to kiss, oblivious to her presence.  
  
As she stood on the gym's threshold, the doors held open with her hands, Ayako was unaware that a few of the team members were coming up behind her.  
  
"I'm telling you, Kogure-sempai, this is getting quite tiresome!"  
  
"And I'm telling you that we have to practice harder for the big game just as Maléna said, Miyagi-kun," Kogure patiently replied, adjusting the strap of his gym bag that was theatening to fall. "Just be thankful that she's herself today," he added.  
  
"What's wrong, Ryochin? Losing stamina like Mitchy? Nyahahahaha ~ OW!" Hanamichi cried when he was elbowed sharply in the ribs by an irate Miyagi.  
  
Miyagi glared. "Baka! Shut up or I'll ~ HOLY SPIT!!!" He stopped right there, his jaw dropping. Kogure collided right into him and frowned, readjusting his glasses.  
  
"Eh? Miyagi-kun? I ~ what the?!?!" He turned to where the diminutive sophomore was staring and his glasses slipped all the way to the end of his nose, as his cinnamon-brown eyes grew as round as saucers.  
  
Hanamichi was still rubbing his side when he noticed the others in front of him were standing stock-still. "Nani?" Their behavior was strange and his curiosity got the better of him, so he slowly turned to look.  
  
"GYAH!!!" He yelped, gravity claiming his bottom as a friend when he fell over in shock from what he just saw.  
  
"Hey, guys! What are you doing by the door?" Mitsui suddenly came up from behind, a puzzled frown on his face. He got even more puzzled when they turned to him and glared, shushing him at the same time.  
  
"SSSSSHHHHH!" The others hissed loudly, giving him the universal sign for silence.  
  
The senior rolled his eyes and proceeded to edge his way past them, muttering to himself. "Jeez! And you'd think that ~ OH MY GOD!!!" His eyes all but popped out of their sockets as his jaw hit the floor. Right there in front of him was Rukawa kissing Maléna. Kissing their coach. KISSING ANZAI-SENSEI'S GRANDDAUGHTER!  
  
They all stood there in a mix of shock and girly gossipy-ness. Each of them had their own ideas of what they were going to do. Kogure was worrying about how to keep this under wraps. He wasn't sure how Anzai-sensei would react to the news that one of his players was getting involved with his granddaughter whom he had given the position of coach while he was away.  
  
Mitsui was already predicting the day when Anzai-sensei would come after Rukawa and kill him for touching his granddaughter, plus the many ways in which he'd kill the boy. Miyagi couldn't believe what he was seeing and kept blinking his eyes while Ayako just smiled knowingly. Hanamichi, meanwhile, was thinking of the many ways to use this for his own diabolical plans of torturing the fox face.  
  
Meanwhile, Rukawa was still very much unconscious of the fact that his teammates had seen him. All his mind could focus on was Maléna. He started out with the intent to shut her up with a kiss but now...she was in complete control of him, overpowering him with just the sweetness of her mouth and the fragrance of her skin.  
  
His fingers gently traced her cheeks before coming up to the sides of her head, tangling in her hair as his hands gently urged her head to tilt at a slight angle for him to get better access. When she complied, his mouth slanted over hers, the kiss growing more demanding and possessive but tempered with a gentleness and certain reverence that caused her mind to cloud over into nothingness.  
  
The only thing he could really think about her at that moment was that she tasted so good.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
She couldn't help but give in.  
  
It was just about the only thing she could do.  
  
It was too easy.  
  
And he was too powerful.  
  
As Maléna slowly responded to Rukawa, growing more and more unsteady on her knees, all she could think of was how his kisses reminded her of chocolate.  
  
Sweet.  
  
Devious.  
  
Definitely sinful.  
  
And addicting.  
  
But alarm bells started ringing in the back of her head and she sensed that something was different. Forcing herself out of the sensual haze that Rukawa had shrouded around them, she opened her eyes to find five teenagers staring at them. Four had their jaws wide open and one was smiling, all the while shaking her head.  
  
Gasping, Maléna wrenched herself away from Rukawa, abruptly ending the kiss as she breathed slowly to steady the swift, shaky pounding of her heart. She ignored the questioning look in Rukawa's eyes and instead, tried to regain the last vestiges of her dignity.  
  
She swallowed uneasily. This was not good.  
  
They had seen it.  
  
They had seen everything.  
  
"I..." She paused to inhale another shaky breath before finally righting herself. She only hoped that she didn't look or sound so flustered.  
  
"I apologize for what you saw," Maléna finally said, adopting a cool and businesslike tone. "It was an honest mistake and it will not happen again."  
  
When she said those last words, she looked directly into Rukawa's eyes, making sure she got the message clear across: He was nothing more than dust to her and he was wasting his time.  
  
With that, she walked out the gym past the stunned group, whispering, "I'm sorry. I promise I won't let it happen again. You're dismissed."  
  
Sendoh was still there and she walked briskly up to him, plastering a huge fake smile on her face to hide her earlier humiliation. 'Two can play at this game, Rukawa.'  
  
"Pick me up at seven."  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
At exactly seven pm sharp, the doorbell at Anzai residence rang and Maléna ran to get it, hurriedly putting on her favorite earrings and stepping into her sandals.  
  
'He's on time,' Maléna mused, opening the door to let Sendoh in.  
  
"Hi," Sendoh said casually, he handed her a single red rose. "For yo..." His eyes widened in admiration and he gave a low whistle.  
  
"Wow! You look amazing!" He declared, earning a small blush from her.  
  
Maléna was wearing a simple jade-green dress that draped over her body but still emphasized her curves, the skirt skimming her thighs, showing off her fantastic legs. Somehow, the green shade of her dress managed to bring out the grey of her eyes and gave her a very feminine look despite her athleticism. She let her hair down, the shiny reddish-brown waves flowing past her shoulders and down her back.  
  
"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself," Maléna returned, smiling.  
  
Sendoh did look great in a blue sports jacket that matched his eyes, matching the ensemble with a pair of khaki pants and dark brown loafers. The jacket made him look like a model with the way that it stretched across his broad shoulders, something that Maléna's teammate, Julie, would call 'GQ Material.'  
  
"Are you ready to go?" He asked.  
  
"Let me just get my jacket," Maléna said, grabbing a light jacket from the chair.  
  
"Ok, let's go."  
  
Sendoh fished out his car keys and clicked on the button to automatically unlock the doors. After making sure that Maléna was comfortable in her seat, he jogged to the other side and climbed into the driver's seat, fastening his seatbelt, and closing the door before revving up the engine and driving off.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
They had dinner at a wonderful little cafe near the park. Sendoh acted like the perfect gentleman, opening the door for Maléna and pulling out her chair for her. He was witty and charming too, regaling her with funny anecdotes, making her laugh a couple of times.  
  
She rested her chin on her hands, looking at her date. He was good-looking, had a sense of humor, and he was a gentleman...In other words, he was everything a girl could ask for.  
  
'So why isn't my heart pounding like it's supposed to?' Maléna wondered. 'Where's the thrill in being the center of his attention? Why isn't it there?'  
  
Although Sendoh was a very attentive date, Maléna found she wasn't enjoying herself as much as she should.  
  
Against her own volition, her thoughts kept drifting to Rukawa. The fox- eyed boy was an enigma with his impassive face and aloof attitude. He was so unlike Sendoh who was easy to read like an open book. He intrigued her to no end and at the same time terrified her.  
  
She didn't know why but she never met a guy that really got under her skin until Rukawa. What scared her was the way he made her feel unwanted emotions. Feelings which made her want to run in the opposite direction. And yet when he kissed her...  
  
"Are you alright?" A voice asked, breaking into her thoughts.  
  
She looked up and saw Sendoh, looking at her with a slight frown marring his forehead.  
  
Maléna felt herself flush a little as she remembered the direction her thoughts were heading. "Uh...I'm fine."  
  
Concern was evident both on Sendoh's face and in his voice. "Are you sure?" He asked. "You're looking a little flushed."  
  
"I'm fine," she insisted. "I just feel a bit stifled."  
  
"Why don't we go for a walk in the park afterwards to cool off?" Sendoh suggested.  
  
"That would be great," she agreed gratefully. The walk might do her good and clear her mind.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Dinner had been somewhat slow, but when they were finished, Maléna was glad for the walk in the park that Sendoh had suggested. She needed the exercise to keep her mind clear.  
  
However, she just kept thinking about what had happened earlier that day.  
  
What would the team think of her now? Especially after they had seen her in a liplock session with none other than their ace player...and to think that she was supposedly responsible for them! What about her talk on professionalism? Would it all come down to a lie? Just like her real reason for coming to Japan?  
  
"Is something bothering you?" Sendoh asked suddenly.  
  
"What made you say that?"  
  
Sendoh shrugged. "At dinner you just picked at your food and spaced out a couple of times."  
  
Yikes.  
  
"I'm sorry...I haven't been very good company, have I?" Maléna asked guiltily.  
  
"Hey, it's alright," he said, easily. "I don't mind as long as you're with me."  
  
'He really is a sweet guy,' Maléna thought wistfully. But every time she looked into Sendoh's smiling eyes, a disturbing image of brooding blue eyes flashed in her mind.  
  
"What were you thinking about?"  
  
'Rukawa,' Maléna thought silently. "About your fistfight with Rukawa earlier," she said instead.  
  
Sendoh ran his fingers through his hair, somewhat nervously. "What about it?"  
  
"It just didn't make sense. I know that I haven't known Rukawa long enough but he doesn't strike me as a person who would fight unprovoked," she replied, fiddling with the sleeves of her jacket.  
  
"But he and Sakuragi fight all the time," Sendoh pointed out.  
  
She shook her head. "That's different. Those two have this natural animosity towards each other that it's not surprising they butt heads more often than not."  
  
Sendoh put his hands on Maléna's shoulders, forcing her to look up. "Let's just forget about that," he said seriously.  
  
"What do you mean?..."  
  
Before Maléna could guess his intent, Sendoh kissed her hard, pulling her body close to his. At first, she was so shocked that she couldn't move but then, Sendoh's kiss grew demanding and she pushed her hands against his chest.  
  
She finally jerked away from him, breathing hard. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!?" she demanded furiously.  
  
Sendoh's eyes had grown smoky. "Kissing you," he said huskily.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Sendoh looked surprised. "Why? Because you're a beautiful woman and I wanted to."  
  
"Typical male macho pride," Malena muttered in disgust. She began walking briskly away from Sendoh.  
  
"Matte!" Sendoh called out, following her. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Home," Maléna retorted, without looking back.  
  
She kept walking until Sendoh grabbed her hand. "Why? What about our date?"  
  
"Date?" Maléna echoed in disbelief. Hadn't he just realized what he had done?  
  
"It's over. It was a mistake in the first place. I shouldn't have gone out with you." Maléna tried to pull her hand away but Sendoh wouldn't let go.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry...Let me just drive you home."  
  
Maléna hesitated.  
  
"I won't make any more moves on you," Sendoh promised.  
  
"Alright," Maléna agreed reluctantly. "But one false move and I'm walking."  
  
"Deal."  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
They drove home in tense silence with Maléna keeping her gaze fixed out the window and her arms crossed over her chest in a self-protective hug. She had not expected Sendoh to be so forward. She had tolerated him on the last date, but this one was a little too much to handle. Especially when his hands had crept up under her skirt.  
  
Not to mention that the nervous flutter and the sparks weren't as strong as she thought it would be with him.  
  
When they got back, Maléna was about ready to jump out the car when Sendoh reached over to grasp her wrist.  
  
She looked at him and was about to curse him to Kingdom Come when she caught the apologetic look in his eyes.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry for what happened. I have no excuse for taking advantage of you, Maléna. It's just that..." Sendoh paused and released his grip on her. "It's just that logic seems to leave me when I'm with you. I just don't know what to think around you."  
  
She remained silent at his admission and he cleared his throat. "Will you forgive me?" he tried again, looking into her eyes.  
  
Maléna shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. I'm not sure," she replied curtly. "Good night."  
  
She quickly unfastened her seatbelt and got out the car, walking to the house with her head held high and closing the gate as soon as she got in, leaving Sendoh to mull over what had transpired earlier on.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
**********  
  
Translations:  
  
(1)"I thought I fucking told you to bend your fucking knees properly! Why aren't you fucking listening?!"  
  
(2)"I'm not doing this because I'm a goddamn masochist! Do you think I want to see bullshit?!"  
  
(3)"Oh for the love of God! How can you be so fucking stupid?! Are you doing that on purpose so I can test my baseball bat on your fucking ass?!"  
  
(4)"It's funny that you're trying to tell me that you're playing basketball, Kogure. Because I call it like I see it and the way I see it is that it's nothing but shit."  
  
(5)"What's my problem?! YOU are my fucking problem! If you want to complain about how I run things, leave! Why the hell should I care?!"  
  
(6)"I don't give a damn about what you may say about my temper or my mouth! I want to see you play the way you're fucking expected to!" 


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Uncertainty and Pain

Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy reading this one!!! If you've read "Somewhere I Have Never Traveled" by Lady Harlequin, I'm sure you will recognize our surprise character... :)))  
  
Once again, I profusely thank my dearest friend, Seranida, for writing down a nightmare sequence better than any that I could ever have written, extending the scenes and editing it in such a way that I had the goosebumps from reading...  
  
I have to apologize for this particular chapter because I feel that the last few scenes are dry...I hope I can do something about the next chapter...^^  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN - Uncertainty and Pain  
  
  
  
When Maléna got ready for bed every night, she knew she would not have a good sleep. Always, she'd wake up in the middle of the night and she could never get her body rested after that. Tonight would be no exception. No matter how happy she pretended to be during the day, it was the night that terrified her. And it would always be the night that would condemn her...  
  
When she crept into bed and pulled the sheets up to her chest, the heavy feeling came to weigh down her heart again, making her chest ache. Tonight would be no different from the previous nights...  
  
With a whispered prayer, she turned off her bedside lamp and fell into a fitful sleep, her mind clouding over and starting to dream...  
  
As the part of her that wanted to stay awake faded along with the rest of her, it warned her that she wouldn't like it when she opened her eyes...  
  
And moments later, she did...  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-Nightmare-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
She looked around her and saw that she was in downtown Los Angeles. A shiver went down her spine. Something was wrong about the entire scenario before her. Downtown LA, the city that bustled with life every second, was deathly silent. Not silent like in libraries but silent like in catacombs and cemeteries, the kind of silence where every childhood monster lurked beneath a serene ocean.   
  
The streets were empty of the usual automobiles that either screeched at speeds 180 mph or moved as slowly as mucous. The sidewalks were void of its diverse people of races, colors, or cultures, moving with and against each other in a festive kaleidoscope of colors. The buildings looked like terrible jurors, frowning at her with their vacant glass eyes. They looked more monolithic and menacing in their granite stand. Each of them seemed to whisper to her condemnations she knew very well. Condemnations she had been hearing ever since Neil...  
  
"Hey, sis, you ready to go?"  
  
She turned around to look at the owner of that voice, her heart like a frightened little bird fluttering madly against the birdcage of her chest...the same voice that haunted her day in and out...the voice that stirred at the cauldron of her memories and feelings.   
  
Neil.  
  
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. Have you been drinking too much coffee? Oh wait, you don't drink anything with caffeine," he smiled that heart-wrenching smile at her. "You probably flooded your system with too much Gatorade, haven't you?"  
  
Maléna opened her mouth to say something -- though her mind was uneasily blank at this turn of events -- when Neil suddenly grasped her hand with surprising strength and dragged her to somewhere.  
  
'We're going to the movie house. Yes, tonight I promised him that we would watch that movie he was bugging me to take him to. The movie house...that's where it all began...'   
  
It then hit her like a cruel mindless joke.   
  
All of this was a dream.   
  
Or a nightmare.   
  
The caged little bird that was her heart was starting to act up again.   
  
'I have to wake up. I just have to. I don't want to be there when 'it' happens...' She continued to recite this to herself.   
  
Meanwhile, it seemed to her that she and Neil weren't the ones moving but the surroundings. It was like being on a treadmill where a moving background was running beside them, making the illusion that they were going somewhere, when in fact, they where going nowhere.  
  
Familiar places shifted before her like a projection of images running at high speed. The pizza parlor where she and her friends would usually hang out, the stoplight where she had once clumsily banged herself against, the sidewalk where she counted 354 cracks on the cement and many others.   
  
All of a sudden, the movie house was right in front of them. The caged bird started to screech and hit its prison with its wings.   
  
'Oh God, please let me wake up. Don't let me watch it all over again. I don't want to see him die in front of me! I don't want it to happen again!'   
  
All this time Neil was still holding her hand. She tugged to let her hand free but to no avail. It was like having your hand in a block of cement. Her screams of pleas didn't seem to catch Neil's attention for her voice was nothing. No sound came out of her mouth. And even her face full of panic didn't daunt Neil's continued smiling and laughing façade.   
  
She was anticipating the moment where she would hear that deafening gun blast, the moment where it would him squarely in the chest; a black hole appearing on his pristine white shirt, red blood spraying everywhere and on her. Yes, it was true. She was waiting for it to happen even if she didn't want to.   
  
Maléna didn't hear that gunshot but as she stared at his chest she saw that hole appear slowly. Driblets of blood pouring out of it, shiny and so red that it seemed more real than her. She looked up to his face with horror, only to have that feeling magnify a hundredfold. Neil was still talking to her but now his voice came out in a series of croaked words. Blood was also trickling down from his mouth to collect in a fat red drop upon his chin, falling to his shirt in a perfect almond-like shape.   
  
His eyes started to cloud over, its milky surface like that of someone with cataract. His teeth had reddened from the blood and they started to loosen in his gums at such a sudden rate that one fell insouciantly out of his mouth, dropping carelessly to the floor with a sound louder than a dropped pin in a soundproof room. As he smiled, his lips split open and more blood came out.   
  
His skin cracked.   
  
Even more blood.   
  
Neil was beginning to look like a blood-soaked sponge.   
  
The little bird was now half-mad with fear, crashing itself vainly at its cage, wanting to get out before the stench of fear choked it to death.   
  
Then they were inside the movie house, sitting on seats with cracked vinyl and smelling its musty scent of old age. They were the only ones inside and the thick cobwebs and ancient surroundings made it look more like a horror house than a movie house. She turned to Neil -- though the little bird warned her not to -- and regretted it immediately, though she couldn't rectify that error but continued to stare at her dead younger brother with realization.   
  
'Neil is...rotting right before me.' This thought followed a clinical feeling of observation and a child's terror of the bogeyman.   
  
His lush hair was now coarse and matted, most of it had fallen off and not only could she see his scalp but also his bald skull. His skin was wrinkled, cracked, and mottled; falling off in tiny shreds. His eyes had sunk into his sockets and the left one was half-deflated so that shiny path on his cheeks couldn't be mistaken for blood but the fluids his left eyeball had once had. His shirt was torn and soiled and so were his pants. Neil the corpse, however, was still acting like he was still alive and well in the world.   
  
A sudden flash tore her attention from Neil's rapid decomposition and saw that the movie was starting. The numbers started to roll down to one…   
  
What she should've seen and heard outside the movie house was being shown right here in living color. Each detail was terrifyingly exact. She and Neil just outside the building, having another friendly banter, people standing in the queue -- some asking for her autograph -- as they patiently waited in line...   
  
She was watching it all intently, while the little bird continued to panic. That putrefying odor of something dead filled her nostrils till she was about to gag yet she still watched it. For when that moment would happen, she would wake up from this nightmare. One hand gripped a dusty armrest until the knuckles had turned pinkish-white as deep-set eyes widened and turned a horrified shade of grey.   
  
Barely did she notice Neil take her hand between his own rotting ones, the bones showing through ragged and torn skin. She barely felt that mind-numbing cold that spread out from her hand the moment Neil touched her. She didn't pay attention to the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Her red hair was starting to coarsen and fall out in clumps, her teeth loosening in their gums.   
  
The movie then slowed to that awaited moment. Her brother's features faded from laughter into outright fear as a figure stepped out of the shadows with a gun trained on Maléna. And with the same reflexes that made him the pride of his junior high basketball team, Neil stepped right in front of her, pushing her to the ground at the same time, just as a loud report was heard.   
  
The gunshot was ear-splitting, the deadly bullet coming ever-so-slowly out of that nozzle. It traveled slowly through the air, deadly but graceful. Then it burned and pierced a hole through Neil's shirt. She finally succumbed to the bird's cries and opened her mouth to let out a shrill scream just as her brother fell into her arms.   
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-End of Nightmare*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
"NO!!!!!!!!!"  
  
The sheets were slowly strangling her, getting more and more tangled as she thrashed about, struggling to get them off. She quickly tossed them away and sat up, gasping for breath as her heart started to slow back down to a steady beat. The cold draft on her cheeks indicated that she had been crying in her sleep again and Maléna wiped the wetness away slowly before turning on her bedside lamp.  
  
There, on the table, was a single silver picture frame. Reaching out, Maléna took the frame, staring for a long time at the photo. There she was with her arms around Neil, her chin resting on his left shoulder as they both smiled for the camera. The photo was recent, taken a few months before he had died.   
  
Looking at him, she saw how much they looked like each other...same titian hair, deep-set eyes in the most interesting shades of grey and green, same high cheekbones and elegant noses. The only difference was the cluster of freckles that was dusted across Neil's nose, giving him a boyish air that made her chuckle softly. Had it not been for their age discrepancy, they would have passed as twins, since Neil had shot up a great deal and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her at that time.  
  
Her fingers found the cold surface of the frame, tracing Neil's strong outlines and some part of her hearing him laugh all over again. Maléna tried to stifle another sob, hugging the silver frame to her chest as more tears pooled in her eyes and ran down her cheeks.  
  
"I didn't protect you...Oh God, I'm so sorry...I didn't protect you," she sobbed brokenly, rocking herself as she hugged the picture more fiercely to her chest. The more she tried to stop herself from crying, the more the sobs racked her shoulders and in the end, she just stopped trying and succumbed once more to the tears.   
  
"I couldn't...I tried to but I couldn't...it's my fault...all my fault..." Maléna whispered, closing her eyes as her shoulders continued to shake from her crying.   
  
No matter how much she tried to tell herself that everything would be okay, she knew that nothing would ever replace what she had lost. Whatever was irreplaceable would never be returned...  
  
She shook as she got up from bed, stumbling downstairs to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee as more tears spilled out her eyes and down her cheeks. As soon as she reached the kitchen, she groped for the light switch, flicking it on as she rushed to the coffee-maker, hastily pouring in the coffee and water before she found a mug, sitting down to wait.  
  
The nightmares had been plaguing her ever since, getting worse with each passing day, terrifying her to such a degree that she was afraid to fall asleep. The coffee-maker beeped, signaling that her coffee was ready, snapping Maléna out of her reverie (something she was HUGELY grateful for since her line of thought was very disturbing).   
  
She walked over to the counter, pouring herself an amount of the bitter-smelling brew and adding sugar before she tentatively took a sip. Back then, she would never drink coffee, always saying that it was unhealthy and it could never be as soothing as tea. But ever since she started having nightmares, she had taken to drinking more than the usual amount of an average coffee-drinker. Not because she loved it, but because it kept her awake and it yanked her awake. Sleep had become like her enemy, always taunting her with those horrifying images of Neil's death, always bombarding her with guilt until she felt she couldn't breathe.  
  
She ran a shaking hand through her hair, as if trying to chase away the last of her nightmare. "When can I forget? When can I move on?" She asked aloud, looking up to the ceiling as if all the answers were written there.  
  
"Never," she said again, answering her own question before averting her gaze back to her coffee, watching the black liquid lazily swirl around in her mug.  
  
This was the real reason why she was in Japan. Her family thought that it would do her good to stay in a foreign country to help her heal. The doctors had suggested that they take her far away from LA while her guilt was still tormenting her.   
  
"It might be better for her to be far from the place that troubles her the most. Somewhere that will not trigger her painful memories and will most probably heal her," they had told her parents, urging them to decide to send her to the land of her mother's birth.  
  
But little did they know that her demons had followed her. And she was desperately trying to fight each and every one of them. However, it seemed that she was fighting a losing battle, and everyday she wished more and more that she would die. Maléna didn't know how long she could endure the pain...Half of her wanted to forget everything, but strangely enough, another part of her didn't want to let go. Almost as if she deserved the demons and the guilt...  
  
Looking up at the clock on the wall, Maléna sighed.   
  
3 a.m.  
  
She looked at her coffee in mild disgust. 'Looks like I'll have to drink the whole thermos again and read something.'   
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
"You're not coming to practice?" Ayako repeated over the phone. On the other end, Maléna sighed.   
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry," she replied, hoping that Ayako wouldn't be able to catch her in a lie. "My agent suddenly scheduled all these appointments and dumped them in my lap. I have to go about and finish everything today."  
  
The manageress nodded on her end. "Okay, I understand. I'll just have the boys practice the usual drills, have their scrimmage, and then tell them to go home."  
  
"Yes...That'll do, Ayako. Thanks." She hung up.   
  
The clock on the wall read 9 am. Maléna knew that she should be in Shohoku right now, but she didn't want to go. She was just too depressed and she didn't want to be distracted. If she went there now, they'd be wondering what was wrong with her. Instead, she chose to have some time to herself now.   
  
She got up to take a shower. 'A walk around Kanagawa might do me some good,' she decided.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Everywhere she went it seemed that everyone was so happy. Even the sky was clear, with no cloud in sight. How very ironic indeed that she wasn't like everything else around her. As Maléna pedaled through the streets, thoughts of her brother's tragic death kept coming back full force, nearly distracting her. Earlier that morning, she had decided to rent a bike instead of walk, concluding that walking around the prefecture was a lot more tedious than cycling.  
  
And now it was close to 3 pm.   
  
As she looked around at the foreign buildings, Maléna realized that she was lost and was in a different part of Kanagawa. And from the looks of the houses, she guessed she was somewhere uptown. Curiosity got the better of her and instead of trying to retrace her tracks, she decided to explore.  
  
She cycled through the sidewalks at a leisurely pace, her legs working the pedals like pistons as her eyes scanned the area. Before she knew it, she was right in front of a huge school building. The whole building had just been whitewashed and every window seemed to sparkle from cleaning. Judging from the architecture, Maléna could tell that this was a private school...so very different from Shohoku's facilities and grounds. When she looked at the sign, she had to smile.  
  
'SHOYO HIGHSCHOOL...Hmm...I'll check out their basketball team.'  
  
With that, she pedaled through the gates, hopping off her bike and parking it beside the guardhouse after being reassured by the security guards that they would watch over it.   
  
Maléna continued to walk around the school, giving a low whistle at how clean everything was. She could almost see the sparkles and giggled a little when a silly thought entered her head. 'This is just like those dishwashing commercials,' she mused, stopping to ask a group of students where the gym was.  
  
One of them, a girl with long black hair and warm coffee-brown eyes, smiled at Maléna. "I'm going there myself, miss. Why don't we go together?" She suggested.  
  
Maléna nodded. There was something about this girl that spoke of home and she relaxed. At least she wasn't screaming and asking for her autograph like most of the other people she had bumped into earlier.  
  
The girl suddenly turned to her and extended her hand. "By the way, I'm Sumire Rowena Hanagata. But you can just call me Sumire."  
  
The taller girl accepted the outstretched hand in a firm grasp and shook it. "Nice to meet you, Sumire. I'm ~ "  
  
Sumire laughed. "I already know who you are, Miss Hernandez."  
  
Maléna had to chuckle. "Call me Maléna or Léna, please. My ears always ache when someone calls me Miss Hernandez."  
  
"Okay, Léna."  
  
As they walked towards the gym, Maléna couldn't help but look at Sumire. There was something vaguely familiar about this girl. She stopped and turned to her companion, tilting her head slightly. "This is really funny, Sumire, but I really think I saw you somewhere before. I can't shake off the feeling that you look oddly familiar."  
  
A light chuckle found its way up Sumire's throat. "I was there when you staged that three-on-three. You play very well, I must say. I was reminded of someone back in the Philippines when I saw you play."  
  
Realization hit Maléna and she smacked her forehead, laughing in slight embarrassment. "OF COURSE!" She exclaimed. "I remember you now! You're Fujima's girlfriend! I noticed you cheering on him! How silly of me, you must have thought me a total snob for ignoring you..."  
  
The smaller girl shook her head. "Iie, I understand. You were surrounded by a lot of people. Kenji-kun REALLY wanted to talk to you, but there were so many people clamoring for your autograph, I just told him to do it some other time."  
  
"Usually, when that happens, it's because of my hair," Maléna joked. "I mean, there aren't a lot of girls in Japan who have my hair color, right?"  
  
Sumire laughed and nodded her assent. "Hai, hai! That's very true. Your hair stands out very much like that of Sakuragi's."  
  
"Yeah, well, you should hear the jokes about me in school," Maléna narrated. "I'm walking through the halls and everyone's shouting 'FIRE!' or 'Watch out! The HUMAN TORCH is coming through!' and they make like an egg and scramble."  
  
The tears came into Sumire's eyes and she laughed aloud along with Maléna. 'She's actually very nice!' She observed. 'I like her sense of humor, too. I wonder why people would call her a snob.'  
  
When the laughter subsided, Maléna grinned. "So, you're from the Philippines, eh? I'm planning to go there as my next stop. My agent's been urging me to travel more often. All part of business, as he always puts it. But I'm really going there for the beaches."  
  
"Really?" Sumire's eyes widened. "Well, if you're planning to go there, the beaches are really worth all the trouble. Boracay and Dakak are the best beaches there.  
  
"But we shouldn't be dawdling here," she said suddenly. "I DID promise I'd show you the gym."  
  
And so, off they went, exchanging friendly banter as if they had known each other forever.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
The first thing that Fujima Kenji did when Sumire entered the gym was run up to her and give her a light kiss on the lips, much to the amusement of his teammates, who did nothing but whistle wolfishly and give catcalls.   
  
"You're a little late," he chided, twining his fingers through hers.  
  
"I bumped into someone," his girlfriend replied, smiling.  
  
From the twinkle in her eyes, Fujima didn't know what to think until someone stepped out of the shadows. The light in his eyes gave way to shock and his mouth opened and closed.  
  
"Ma-Maléna???" He stammered in utter disbelief.  
  
"That would be me," the Latina grinned, giving a little wave and winking.  
  
Fujima shook his head to clear it, his chocolate-brown bangs flying with the movement. Okay, this was bordering on surreal. What would a superstar like Maléna be doing in their school premises, much less in their gym?  
  
"Wow," he breathed. "This is...really unexpected! I mean, I didn't think that you'd pay us a visit since you're with Shohoku...er...ah...I mean...that is..."  
  
Maléna nodded. "I understand what you're trying to say, Fujima-san. It's okay, really. I'm not here as the enemy." At this point, she held up both hands as if to indicate that she wasn't armed.  
  
"N-no!" Fujima said, a little too forcefully. "I mean; I'm honored that you're here! Truly, I am!" By this time, he was already looking frantically around for a chair where Maléna could sit. The problem was, most of the team's things were strewn on every chair and he cursed inwardly that Maléna had to see how sloppy his teammates could be.  
  
Turning to face the rest, the team captain of Shoyo yelled, "OI! CAN ANYONE GET MS. HERNANDEZ A CHAIR?!?! SHE NEEDS TO SIT DOWN!!!"  
  
Maléna shook her head, holding up her hand to placate the near-frantic Shoyo ace. "Fujima-san...really, it's okay! I can sit on the floor. My teammates and I do that all the time and we ~ "  
  
She couldn't say anything more because Fujima had taken off, taking it upon himself to look for a chair as Sumire sighed.   
  
"Is he always like that?" Maléna asked.   
  
Sumire shook her head. "Only because you're here and you just happen to be a celebrity," she replied, smirking.  
  
The tall titian-haired girl shrugged her shoulders, walking over to the sidelines with Sumire and sitting down on the floor just as Kenji burst back in from the door leading to the hallway of the seniors. When he saw that Sumire had sat down and that Maléna was nowhere in sight, he immediately grabbed the nearest member by the collar, who just happened to be Nagano.  
  
"Now LOOK what you've done!" He hissed. "Maléna left because not one of you offered her a chair!"  
  
The team captain failed to notice that the said girl was sitting on the floor, right next to Sumire as he shook Nagano by the collar, regarding him with a half-bemused, half-baffled expression.  
  
"Ano...captain...she's sitting on the floor..." Nagano trailed off, weakly smiling and indicating that he was getting strangled.  
  
Immediately, Fujima let go of his teammate's collar as his eyes widened. "NANI?!?!?! YOU LET HER SIT ON THE FLOOR?!?!?!"  
  
"I like it on the floor," Maléna tried, but her voice was drowned out by Fujima lecturing his teammates on chivalry and respect for superiority.   
  
She looked at Sumire. "Your boyfriend is really too much. I don't need a chair to watch."  
  
"Heh...He can be quite a handful," Sumire exaggerated, putting a hand on her brow and adopting a mock-stressed look that made the redhead laugh.  
  
Turning to her boyfriend, she whistled sharply. "Kenji-kun, Maléna says she's perfectly fine with sitting on the floor. No need to get worked up."  
  
Said boy looked up towards his girlfriend and then down at the Latina. "You sure?" He asked Maléna, tone uncertain and a bit embarrassed.   
  
"Well, why else do you think that the camera lowers to focus on me during halftime breaks? I like sitting on the floor," came the reply.   
  
Everyone laughed good-naturedly at Maléna's joke and Fujima relaxed. "Hai. Let's begin practice now, everyone. Remember our aim is to be number one!"  
  
"YOSH!"  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
As the team she managed continued practicing, Sumire snuck glances at Maléna from time to time, noticing the sad look in her eyes. Something seemed to click in the Shoyo manageress and she bent over a little bit, asking: "Is anything wrong?"   
  
Maléna snapped to attention and shook her head, her smile doing little to mask her sadness. "Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking of someone I used to know."  
  
Sumire didn't look so convinced. She felt that there was something in Maléna that was hurting, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She could sense the feeling of loss, but over what or whom, she couldn't quite figure out.   
  
In a way, Sumire felt that she and Maléna were alike. But while she was slowly recovering from her pain, she could feel that the Latina was nowhere near that.  
  
"Maléna..." she hesitated. "...We've only gotten properly introduced today but I already feel that you're a good person and I just want you to know that if there's anything ~ "  
  
Green eyes brimmed with moisture momentarily before it was blinked away. "Thank you, Sumire," Maléna whispered, reaching up to clasp her hand. "I truly appreciate it..."  
  
They went back to watching the scrimmage game in silence. But after fifteen minutes, Maléna turned back to Sumire. "Can I tell you something?" she asked.  
  
"Sure. You can tell me anything."  
  
The Latina took a deep breath and then began. "I'm not really so sure of what I'm doing here anymore, Sumire. I can't handle the pressure anymore."  
  
The smaller girl remained silent, taking in what Maléna had told her, though some of it was quite a shock. 'She can't handle the pressure? She's unsure?' she silently wondered. 'WHY?!'  
  
"Sometimes, I feel like no one understands my position. Everyone thinks my life is so...perfect," Maléna spat out that particular word bitterly, running a hand through her hair. "But you want to know the truth, Sumire?  
  
"The truth is, I hate my life. I hate every single minute of it. Everyone's eyes are on me, everyone judges me...I can't breathe anymore, much less think! And I try so hard to pretend that I'm okay...but everyday, I feel like I'm breaking more and more..."  
  
Here, she stopped and sucked in a trembling breath to steady herself before going on. "I sometimes wish that none of this had ever happened. That I was just back to being Maléna Hernandez, the little girl who loved the swings in the neighborhood park and dancing with her father, and not Maléna Hernandez, the next big thing in women's basketball...  
  
"I wish that I had never learned basketball...then maybe, I wouldn't have had to deal with so much loss...It hurts everyday, knowing that I'll never see him again...That I'll never be able to talk to him again..."  
  
Sumire looked quite shocked at Maléna's outburst. She had never expected Maléna to actually hate her life. So many people wanted to be like her, wanted to have her kind of life, wanted to have her kind of talent...But why...?  
  
"If you don't mind me asking, who is he?" Sumire wanted to know. She knew she shouldn't force the issue, but were there anything she could do right now for Maléna, she would try...  
  
"My little brother...his name was Neil Isaac... " Maléna replied, looking straight ahead, not really seeing anything, but seeing past all the movement on the court. "He was murdered...right before my eyes..."  
  
Sumire had to suppress a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth as tears came into her eyes. "Oh, Maléna...I'm so very sorry," she whispered. "I should never have forced the issue..."  
  
But Maléna was far from the ability to hear her now, and little by little she recounted the painful events in detail, though her voice remained impossibly neutral.  
  
"I was supposed to watch a movie with him. We were just waiting in line for our tickets when Neil saw a guy in a mask pull out a gun. I saw the guy aim at me and in that moment, I thought I was going to die...  
  
"We were just standing there, talking about school and lots of unimportant stuff...we were just there to have fun...Neil was joking around again and I was just laughing...And then I heard the gunshot...but I didn't feel any bullet..." Maléna stopped here, unable to say anything more when her voice got stuck in her throat.  
  
Sumire didn't need to hear any more. She could already guess what had happened then. Neil had protected his older sister from the bullet that had been meant to take her life, only to have his taken away in the end. It was a very painful loss to deal with, indeed...and it seemed that nobody could really understand Maléna...  
  
Sure, the world would mourn for Neil's passing along with Maléna, but they would just forget about it after a while and go back to their lives, never really stopping to understand the pain of loss and the real grief that Maléna felt. Nobody would really care if Neil's murder was solved or not...  
  
How cruel the world could be sometimes...  
  
Sumire got out of her chair to sit down beside Maléna, taking one of her hands in her own. "I'm very sorry for forcing it out of you, Maléna...I'm sure your brother was a really incredible person and that he didn't deserve that kind of death..."  
  
"He was incredible, Sumire...He was the reason why I learned how to play basketball," Maléna replied, fighting back the urge to break down and just cry. "Were it not for him and Grandfather, there would be no 'Darling of the Hardcourt' or 'Basketball Princess.' I owe everything to the both of them..."  
  
There was nothing more that Sumire could say and they watched the rest of the practice in uncomfortable silence. When it was time for them to go, Maléna was back to being cheerful, smiling at each and every one of them as if nothing was wrong...  
  
Sumire, however, knew differently...But Maléna had made her promise not to tell anyone...  
  
'But how long will you keep this up, Maléna? How long will you torture yourself with the guilt that was never yours to bear in the first place?'  
  
As she watched her friend head out the gym, questions whirled around in Sumire's head...and she had no answers to any of them...True, Maléna was a celebrity...but there was still so much about her that nobody knew...And her depression was one of them...  
  
'So when will you let go? When will you stop berating yourself for something that was never your fault?'  
  
Sumire shook her head. No, it was not her business to pry. Maléna would have to do everything herself...Perhaps then, she could be healed.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
  
  
  
Today the sun was setting pretty late...  
  
She walked along the water's edge in her bare feet, constantly pausing as she turned to look out at the horizon. Why was everything so damn ironic today? Here she was feeling so depressed while the rest of the world was as happy as it should be.   
  
She felt like she was on the outside, looking in. Like she was laughing outside, but crying inside. She smiled, but it had never felt so fake... But still, people couldn't tell the difference...  
  
"Why are you here, Maléna?"  
  
She whirled around. There he was, walking towards her, slight confusion and mild delight in his face. "Sendoh..."  
  
He stopped in front of her, putting a polite distance between them as he regarded her. "Why are you here?" He repeated the question, peering deep into her eyes.  
  
Maléna cast her eyes down, staring at the foam that washed her feet and buried her toes in the wet sand. "I just wanted to be alone to think."  
  
He nodded his understanding and sat down on the sand. "This is a great place to think, I'll give you that."  
  
She followed him and sat down, keeping a reasonable distance between them as she stared out into the horizon, watching the sun sink slowly into the sea to give way to the moon's rising. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she continued to gaze out into the sea, unaware that Sendoh was watching her now.  
  
To him, she reminded her of a little girl. Sitting on the sand with her chin on her knees, Maléna suddenly looked so young and innocent, not the girl he had fallen in love with, but a child...Unable to resist the urge, Sendoh lifted up a hand to brush a tendril of red hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear.  
  
"You're so serious," he tried to make light the situation, smiling a little. "Why don't you smile instead? Not for me, but for yourself..."  
  
Silence was his answer and he awkwardly shrugged and turned his gaze back to the sunset. If she didn't want to talk to him, it was okay. Just as long as she was with him and he was with her...   
  
The confused emotions were making her head spin, making her heart thunder in her chest, making her want to scream...  
  
"Why are you doing this, Sendoh?" Maléna suddenly asked.  
  
He turned back to her, surprised at the anguished look that greeted him. But he couldn't really give her any other kind of answer than that he was in love with her. And he didn't want to see her like this...  
  
"Because..." he stopped and massaged the bridge of his nose, debating on whether or not he should just go ahead and tell her. He knew that Rukawa was in love with Maléna. He could see the way his rival looked at her possessively, as if no other man should have her but himself, as if no other man was meant for her but himself.  
  
After that disaster date, he drove around town just so he could think things over. He wanted to love her and deep inside, he wanted her to reciprocate his feelings. Never before had he felt this way for a girl. She was the first to catch his attention, the first to find her way into his heart. She didn't need to do anything drastic to do that...he didn't need glasses to see that she was the kind of girl who was true to herself, never pretending to be anybody else.  
  
In her eyes he could see truth, determination, and a strength that radiated her inner beauty. But yes, her heart was hard to win. Because everytime he tried, she would put an invisible barrier in between them, becoming the cool, crisp woman she was on the court. And even then, he wanted even more to win her love. He wanted to be worthy of her. He wanted...   
  
"Why?" She urged him, her voice rising.  
  
His blue eyes never looked clearer than they did now, but she could see the pain in them. "Because I'm mad about you Maléna," he answered.  
  
She didn't resist his embrace. And when his lips met hers, she found that she didn't want to resist the kiss either...  
  
'What have I done?'  
  
  
~*~*~  
TBC 


	17. Chapter 17

**ATTENTION:**

My dear readers,

The story that I have put off for TOO long is now undergoing a huge re-write. Just look for the new title (which isn't deviating much from the original title): **All in the Game: THE REWRITE**

To those who have read this fic:

I'm very sorry for the delay. I hope that you'll like this new version a lot more than the old one. Thsi new one is certainly more exciting to write and I'm hooked again by Slam Dunk.

Long live!

Maia


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